For A Cup Of Caramella
by BeatOneHeart
Summary: "Let me wake up next to you, have coffee in the morning and wander through the city with your hand in mine, and I'll be happy for the rest of my […] life." ― Charlotte Eriksson. [AU; Main SasuSaku, slight NaruHina] Warning/Surprise: Civilian/Kunoichi (!) AU
1. A Cup of Caramella

**_For A Cup_ _Of_**

 ** _Caramella_**

* * *

 _Chapter 1_

* * *

" _Let me wake up next to you, have_ _ **coffee**_ _in the morning and wander through the city with your hand in mine, and I'll be happy for the rest of my […] life."_

 _―_ _Charlotte Eriksson, Empty Roads & Broken Bottles; in search for The Great Perhaps_

* * *

 _Every story has a beginning. So has theirs._

It is a beginning in which two worlds collide.

 _Although they lived in parallel place and time, they hardly knew about each other._

Their common turning point, though, brought the worlds closer than under any other conditions:

 _A cup of coffee_.

Funny that it was a simple order that opened the doorlock between their worlds.

 ** _Between a healing kunoichi, and a civilian barista who just happened to work in a café close to her working place._**

* * *

 _"A Cup of Caramella"_

* * *

"One _caramella_ , big size, please!"

"… Hn."

A black haired barista, clad in a uniform of a white long arm shirt with a red bow tie and a black vest, pants and apron, took the order of his pink-haired and jade-eyed customer, walking to a coffee machine on the counter. Every now and then, he would glance back in her direction under his long bangs, only to watch the proceedings in the café, of course. The pink-haired woman would reward him for every glance he would give with a smile, without needing a reason for it. When he started to poor hot milk in her ordered coffee cup, she spoke up to open a conversation.

"So, Sasuke-kun", the jade-eyed customer began. The barista, Sasuke, would always wonder who gave the woman permission to say his name in such a familiar way. "How have you been?"

"… Fine", Sasuke grumbled, fully concentrating on his task of preparing her _caramella._

His customer gave him a warm smile, like every time when he would answer her question with the same word.

"That´s nice to hear." Her eyes sparkled.

A pause.

"Won´t you ask me how I´ve been?"

Using a black pen, Sasuke wrote something onto the coffee cup he had prepared and shoved the finished _caramella_ over the bar, not once missing eye contact with the ever-smiling woman.

"It´s none of my business."

The pink-haired customer smiled at her coffee cup, chuckling in a low tone. She took it in her hands.

"You´re always so grumpy." She glanced up again, meeting the barista´s coal-black eyes, the sparkles never leaving hers. "But I know you don´t intend to be so mean. At least not to me."

The barista raised a perfect eyebrow. "What gives you the confidence to know?"

The woman put a finger to her lips, smiling mischievously and cocking her head to her right side. Her eyes fluttered a little.

"That you don´t disappear in the stock room and kitchen behind the bar, like every time when someone tries to start small talk with you."

Sasuke closed his eyes, grunted and looked down on the till to open it. "That will make–..."

"I know already, dummy." The woman grabbed her purse, took a few coins of right amount and handed it to the barista. "Here. It´s not like I´m a new customer or anything."

Sasuke took the money from her and let the coins fall in the till - without counting them. He closed the till.

The pink-haired woman sipped from her cup and sighed, eyes closed. "Ahhh, you still are the best coffee maker in the whole world, I swear! I´ve went to so many places and have never ever drank a better one than yours!" She opened her eyes to look at him, smiling. "It´s so good to be home again."

"I bet."

Her smile brightened.

"Well, I´ll be off the-! Oh _my_ , are those _white choco-cookies_?!" The woman crouched over the glass cabinet on the counter next to the till. She lied her hand on the glass right in front of the cookies, as if trying to reach for them. Sasuke watched his customer walking to the cookies, staring at them, her mouth agape. He has never seen a more childish behaviour by an adult.

"… You want one?" He wouldn´t ask, but he had to, knowing that his boss was in the back in his office.

The woman sighed exasperated, standing up. She looked at Sasuke, a sad childish expression on her face. "I´d really love to, but I can´t. I already bought the _caramella_." She held up her cup, to underline her point.

Sasuke reached out for a cookie and held it in front of her. "As if. You always take one next to your cup."

His customer smiled sweetly at him. "Nah, I´m sorry. Not today. But thanks. It seems like you know me more than you let on, ne?"

The barista turned his head away a little, and tried to change the topic. "Why don´t you take one _now_?"

The woman smiled sheepishly, her cheeks turning a little pink, matching her hair-color. "I´m sorry again. You know, I don´t want to get fat, since I have a date soon. Really, I´ve been waiting for that guy to ask me out _for months_ now and …"

As she spoke out the word ´date´, suddenly, a cracking sound could be heard. The cookie in Sasuke´s hand somehow crumbled into pieces, falling to the ground.

"Oh no, the poor cookie!", the pink-haired woman declared sadly, checking the cookie for any more damages.

Sasuke couldn´t move an inch, standing there like frozen.

The customer looked at him, not noticing the way _he_ looked at _her_.

"Shall I help tidying up this place?"

Sasuke averted his gaze to the ground, looking at the crumbled cookie-pieces, attempting to bring his limbs back to life.

"… N … no. I … It´s fine."

The woman reached out to him, poking his shoulder with her forefinger, a quizzical and worried look on her face. "Sasuke-kun, are you alright?"

The moment her finger touched him, a chill rushed through his body from where theirs were connected, if only for a second.

He still couldn´t look her in the eyes, turning around. "Y … Yes, I´m fine. I´ll go get something to clean this up. Don´t mind me."

Sasuke hurried away to the stock room, the last piece of cookie still in his hand. He heard a dull ´See you later´ when he finally reached the room behind the bar, leaning on the wall with his back.

He stayed there, for how long he didn´t know. He didn´t care for anything in the world at that moment, only for the last piece of cookie in his hand he looked at intensely, studying it, as if all the secrets in the world were hidden in it.

In reality, he searched for the only mystery in the world he was interested in. In reality, it was the only mystery that could put him in a state like this, him, leaning on the wall with his back, a piece of cookie in his hands, suffering in heartache. It wasn´t the first time it happened, and not the last time, for he knew.

They were in two different worlds, not able to reach each other as he wanted them to.

He, Uchiha Sasuke, a civilian barista, and her, the kunoichi, whose working place happened to be close to the café he worked in.

She, _Haruno Sakura_ , whose name he wrote on the coffee cup she ordered her _caramella_ in.

That was her name she told him two years ago at the opening party of the café he still worked in, the name he couldn´t and would never forget to write on the cup for all her orders.

* * *

 _~ Fin. ~_


	2. A little More than Coffee

**_For A Cup Of_**

 ** _Caramella_**

* * *

 _Chapter 2_

* * *

One week later, she visited the café again.

* * *

 _"A little More than Coffee"_

* * *

Sasuke recovered from his little heartache a week ago, on the same day. He was used to it, so he tried not to think too much into it.

The first time something like this happened, he got himself a sick note from a doctor nearby. Never had he he felt something like this before so he never had to look for a cure. Sasuke wasn´t always this emotional, but after _that_ trauma concerning his family he was much more sensitive than before. Thanks to his brother, Itachi, he was able to get a hold of himself afterwards. Itachi was also the only one who knew of this mystery of the pink-haired woman, which Sasuke struggled to understand for two years now.

The barista felt sick by only thinking about it, be it from the guilty conscience because he pulled his brother into his problems when he had to deal with his own, or be it from feeling weak in front of a woman he never truly had a serious conversation with.

Oh, he attempted to reach out to her when he had the first opportunity about two years ago. Sasuke wasn´t new to courting women thanks to his wild teenage life (he wasn´t really proud of it being an adult now). He attempted, but was put off by a conversation between the pinkette and one of her friends he overheard while cleaning a coffee machine.

* * *

 _"-hat, Sasuke-kun? Don´t be ridiculous, Ten Ten!"_

 _"_ _Why not? I think he likes you, by the way he looks at you."_

 _Sasuke heard the girl chuckling. He slowed down in wiping the machine, interested in which direction the talk would go._

 _"_ _Aw, come on, now. Sasuke-kun? Never. I mean, he is a handsome guy and all, but there are so many beautiful girls ogling at him. He wouldn´t be interested in me."_

 _This was a definite sign for the young barista for he waited for so long. His heart pound oddly wild in his chest, preparing to plunge out and showing itself to the girl. He looked himself over, adjusting his appearance when he heard the pinkette talking again._

 _"_ _And, most important, he is a_ civilian _and I´m a_ kunoichi _. I mean, a serious relationship wouldn´t work between us. It´s like we´re in different dimensions, you know."_

 _Different dimensions?_

 _"_ _I think you exaggerate a bit, Sakura. It´s not like … you´re different animals … like you´re a tiger and he is a bear or something. You´re both humans, and if there is love, then there is no problem with you both having different statuses."_

 _"_ _Honestly, I think he would make a fine tiger instead of me. Maybe a black puma."_

 _The girls chuckled to themselves. Sasuke didn´t find it amusing at all. He stopped in his tracks of cleaning the machine long ago. Only his ears were working, listening to the girls._

 _"_ _So, what do you mean by ´different dimensions´?"_

 _Sakura thought for a while before answering. She gazed at her almost empty coffee cup._

 _"_ _It´s like … We wouldn´t understand each other at all. Imagine me, coming home from a mission. He would wait anxiously for me, because he would think I could die any second when I´m stepping one foot out of Konoha´s gates. He wouldn´t be as tough like a shinobi to trust in my abilities and endure the fear and sadness and all. We would fight about that, because he would be bad at enduring those feelings."_

 _Not as tough as a shinobi, huh?_

 _"_ _He would want me to resign from being a ninja. And I wouldn´t do it, because my dream is to become Hokage one day, as you know."_

 _Hokage?_

 _"_ _That would bother him much more, I guess. I mean, a Hokage has to spend all of their free time to serve the village. Civilian women are often housewives. I couldn´t do that. I´m a workaholic."_

 _Sakura took a sip from her coffee before continuing speaking._

 _"_ _That makes me cross my mind, just think of the aspect of family constellation. Or family, generally. He would want me to stay at home with the children, not a child. Ninja can be happy to have at least one child before they hit their forties. Civilian families have many children before they´re even thirty. And in the twenties, ninja´s career gets most serious. It´s the time when you prove yourself attending dangerous missions. And I already talked about this just now, he wouldn´t want me to go then."_

 _"_ _And you?"_

 _"_ _Huh?"_

 _"_ _About you, I mean, do you have a problem with being with a civilian?"_

 _Sakura looked at her coffee again, thoughtful._

 _"_ _I …" Her cheeks flushed a little._ _Sasuke peeked out of his hideout of a coffee machine a little by this time, looking directly at the girl, without her even noticing._

 _"_ _I … want a guy who is strong enough to endure me, actually. You know I´m a little hard to handle, ne?"_

 _Ten Ten smiled sweetly at her friend, a little mockingly._

 _"_ _Oh, come on, now. Don´t pity yourself that much."_

 _Sakura chuckled a little. Even it was a forced chuckle._

 _"_ _I think that´s because no one ever approached me. I´m obnoxious. I have ridiculous pink hair. My forehead is too big. I have a loud mouth I can´t control. And I have monstrous strength. No guy would like to be with a girl who was stronger than them, even if it was shinobi. And …"_

 _Sasuke didn´t know what to think of anything Sakura said. He didn´t know that it would get worse in a few seconds, yet._

 _"…_ _this is Sasuke we´re talking about. A barista, who certainly has an easy life. I mean, why would he bother working here at his young age? It´s certainly only a sideline. I bet he just gains extra money for parties and concerts and all. I have so much to do, I would bore him out of our relationship, if we had one, that is. And he seems so emotionless, sometimes like a rock. That´s_ so _the opposite of my life! We´re so different. I mean, I know there is something like opposites attract. But it couldn´t be_ that _far on opposite sides."_

 _"_ _Hmmm … Maybe you´re right. I mean, Neji is like Sasuke when it comes to emotions and all, I think they resemble each other a lot - at first sight. But Neji is a ninja like me. There are things about us that we understand about each other. Come to think of it, just imagine the poor guy seeing your weapons or heavy injuries for the first time!"_

 _"_ _Oh my, he would faint immediately!"_

 _The girls laughed._

 _It was the first and last time Sasuke spied on one of Sakura´s conversations with friends._

* * *

Sasuke shook his head out of the bad memory when he saw Sakura approaching the counter. The barista immediately noticed that something was wrong. The woman´s eyes were like glassy, not teary, but just glassy. They didn´t sparkle like they used to every time she would enter this café. She looked a little pale, too, more like Sasuke´s skin colour. Her clothes and hair were in a disarray, they would often be, when she was working at the hospital nearby, but not as much as they were now, because she would always adjust them a little before going out.

"… Hey." She managed to say, looking at Sasuke, not smiling.

"It´s the third time you´re here today." The pinkette´s expression turned into an utmost surprised one, realizing her third visit for the first time, it seemed. "If you order one more _caramella_ and cookie, you´ll risk diabetes."

The girl chuckled with a rough voice at Sasuke´s sarcasm. _Bingo_ , he thought.

"I´m supposed to be the medic here, you know." She grinned a little, playing the mocking game as well.

"Seems you suck at it."

Sakura sighed sadly, closing her eyes.

"You hit the point. I did suck at it the last days, actually."

Sasuke´s eyes widened, he took a little step back, unconsciously.

"S-sorry."

Sakura smiled a little. "No, it´s alright. You couldn´t know anyway."

 _Yeah, because I´m only a civilian barista,_ Sasuke thought, not liking where his bad mood was going.

"Hey, if you …" Sakura considered saying something, but shook her head. "If you won´t give me my coffee, I´ll be off then. And thanks for being so considerate, it means a lot. Goodnight."

With that, she turned around to go when-

"What did you want to say?"

Sakura turned around, surprised that Sasuke noticed her hesitation. He looked her directly in the eyes, leaning over the counter a little. His eyebrows were knitted together. They stayed like that for a few seconds, only looking into each others eyes.

 _He looks like … he´s really concerned about me_ , Sakura thought. _Well, I have a chance to ask him then._

The medic turned fully around to face him, walking closer again. Sasuke leaned back from the counter, to allow them some space.

"I wanted to ask if …" Sakura narrowed her eyes a little, looking at him from under her lashes. Her cheeks flushed a little pink. Sasuke had never seen a more alluring scene before him. He had seen many girls in his life, but no one did these things to him. No one but _this one_ before him.

"If you won´t give me coffee, I´d like to order a little of your time for a friendly conversation?"

If he was shocked, Sasuke didn´t show a thing. Although his heartrate was going crazy by now.

"Sure. The café will close in about twenty minutes, anyway."

Sakura thanked him, and the barista made his way through the chores. He swiped the ground, tables and chairs, the counter and everything that lay on it. After counting the money gained today and checking on the kitchen and stock room, he doffed his apron and bow-tie, stuck them in his bag and undid a few upper buttons on his shirt for freedom. When he realized he started to check himself in a mirror, he shook his head, annoyed with himself, took his bag and hoodie and made his way to Sakura, who waited outside the café sitting on a bench.

Sasuke locked up the outside door of the café, let out a deep breath to relax himself and turned around to start walking towards his destination.

The raven-haired man stopped in front of the pinkette. Her hands were on her lap, her shoulders slacked down a little.

"So, do you want to sit on this bench or take a walk?"

Sakura smiled. "Always so considerate. We can just sit here, actually. I bet you´re as exhausted as me from standing on your legs for hours."

Sasuke shrugged with his shoulders, sitting down next to her left and leaving a comfortable distance between them.

"I´m used to it."

"Yeah, I guess so. You´ve been working there for two years, now. You should have a lot muscle down your legs, too."

Sasuke looked at her, meaningfully. A teasing smile was on his face. "Want to check?"

Sakura needed a little time to register his words, then blushed, looking everywhere but on his face.

"I … That´s not what I meant!"

Sasuke chuckled at her, opening his bag by his side. "You´re easily startled, you know." As long as she was flushed and not sad, he was satisfied with it.

He searched something in his bag but couldn´t find it. "Damn", he muttered, pushing his apron to the side of his bag for better access.

"What´s wrong?" Sakura´s blush was forgotten.

"Can´t find my aspirin." Sasuke gave up and stuffed everything deep in place to zip the opening of his bag up. He leaned back on the bench letting his head fall back. His fingers massaged his temple. "Guess I forgot to put them in my bag today."

"Here." Sasuke glanced at the woman beside him. Her hand was held up at the same level of his head. "Get your hands out of your face." Sakura used a tone of a knowing doctor, making Sasuke comply automatically.

She wouldn´t have to use a special tone for that, but she didn´t know of course.

Sakura´s hand glowed green – to Sasuke´s utter surprise – and came closer to him. The inner side of the pinkette´s hand touched Sasuke´s forehead, feeling warm on his skin. It wasn´t _only_ because of the … green glow radiating from it.

"What are you doing?"

Sakura concentrated in the act. "I´m healing your headache. You have really tight veins, you know."

"Is that one of your ninja-skills?"

Sakura chuckled at that. "Yeah, you could say so."

In a few seconds, to Sasuke´s utter astonishment, the pain was like wiped away. He felt oddly … _lightheaded_ , to say the least. Sakura retracted her hand, settling it on her lap. Sasuke, being freed from his headache, made himself comfortable on the bench. He lifted his left leg up on it, laying his left arm on his knee, and stretched his right leg out. His right hand relaxed on the space between the two people.

"That´s an incredible skill."

Sakura blushed a little, embarrassed.

"And you say you suck at being a medic?"

The pinkette sighed again, remembering the reason for their conversation.

"There was … an ambush on a group of ninja a few days ago. We still don´t know who the attackers were, but they used a poison we try to render harmless for days now. I tried to mix an antidote many times, but somehow it failed _every_ time. Can you imagine how disappointing it is to take a beating in so many rows? And they call me Tsunade´s successor …"

"Tsunade as in, the current Hokage?"

"Yeah …"

Sasuke didn´t know that. He supposed Sakura had been under a lot of pressure, competing with that title. No wonder she would work so hard.

 _" …_ _my dream is to become Hokage one day … "_

Sasuke thought about that time he overheard the girls´ talk. He had to motivate her, to put her in better spirits…

"Don´t worry. You surely don´t carry that title for nothing. Everything will be alright."

"Maybe the time _me_ carrying it, is coming to an end, though."

Sasuke´s eyebrows knitted together, he leaned a little closer to Sakura.

"Nonsense. You´re working everyday as if it´s your last."

Sakura turned her head in his direction, her expression worrisome, and searching for answers to her problems in Sasuke´s eyes. Hers became glassy again.

"How do you want to know that?"

Sasuke looked in her eyes, as if he searched for her soul. As if he knew the road to it by heart, as if he knew how to mend it without thinking.

"There is a woman with pink hair and jade eyes that visits this café almost every day- Since day one two years ago."

Sasuke nodded in the direction of his working place.

"It is obvious that she is a doctor in the hospital nearby because of her lab coat she wears every day. Always in a rush, she quickly orders her _caramella_ and a cookie with excitement as if she´s seen those for the first time in her life, and chats as quickly with the workers there. With how many times she visits the café at the oddest hours, always with her lab coat on, and the rings under her eyes, one can tell that this woman puts all of her life energy into it. One can see her talking to her patients, obviously because of the bandages they have. They smile at her as if she is their _goddess_ , as if she could take all the pain and worry away from them."

Sakura was stunned, her mouth agape, her eyes sparkling. She looked at the man beside her as if it was the first time she looked at him. No, like the first time she really _saw_ him for what he was.

The first time in two years. Needles to say, she felt embarrassed not to have noticed it earlier.

"And that´s all for the woman to know that she _is_ the successor of Tsunade, because even the civilian baristas could see that she is an incredible doctor."

Sakura´s face flushed a rosy pink again. Turning her head to the front, she smiled an honest, happy smile, much to Sasuke´s delight. The barista leaned back, relaxing and enjoying the moment.

It was the first time that _he_ could make Sakura happy instead of the coffee he would prepare for her.

Sakura leaned back on the bench as well, feeling lighthearted. She would have never thought that Sasuke was so attentive to her appearance. Knowing that, she felt ashamed of thinking of him as only a simple barista, never noticing what kind of a person really was hidden in the male beside her. She only saw him for the man in the uniform, annoyed and bored of serving coffees the whole day. He always seemed so … _dull_. Like an emotionless and thoughtless automat, only factory-set for working in a café. Sakura felt very bad for thinking so low of him.

 _Maybe that title I made for myself got me all pig-headed. I´m a self-centered, ignorant egoist, ne? How pitiful for a doctor..._

The pinkette closed her eyes in thought, opened them and gave Sasuke the brightest and warmest smile she could. She would make things better, for sure.

"Thank you, really. Never would I have thought that I needed a pep talk from you to give me motivation."

Sasuke only shrugged nonchalantly with his shoulders. "I need you to be in spirits for the sake of my till in the shop. You´re the one customer who buys the most cups."

The jade-eyed woman first looked astonished, mouth agape, then laughed, suddenly, a heartfelt, honest laugh. She held her stomach, since it was hurting from laughter.

"Y-you´re unbelievable!" Sakura wiped her happy tears away. "How can you be all nice and an ass at the same time?"

The said man smirked and shrugged his shoulders again. "It´s my charm, I guess."

Sakura adjusted her position, turning her body to face Sasuke better. She crossed her legs, her hands laying on her lap, and grinned. "Yes, I bet it is." The pinkette sighed her last laughter out, then smiled sweetly at the man, cocking her head to the side. "Really, thank you. I feel all good thanks to you, again. I owe you now."

"As I said, pay me for the coffee and everything´s fine."

"Uh-uh", she held her forefinger up high, swaying it accusingly, "Then I´d owe you all over again."

"It´s not a big deal, really."

"No, you don´t understand." The pinkette leaned a little closer, her eyes shining in the most beautiful green. "You´re my coffee supplier. I´m a medic, that means you´re my most important person, serving me my drug, called caffeine. Nothing can get between us." She punched Sasuke´s shoulder with her fist lightly, in a friendly manner. "We´re inseparable companions for life! At least as long as you´re a barista in this shop and I´m a medic at the hospital over there."

Unfortunately, she didn´t know that her words didn´t struck Sasuke as lightly as she intended to.

Sakura stood up, stretching her limbs. "Alright!" She turned her body to face her companion, her arms still over her head. "Apropos hospital, I need to get back to work again before my motivation leaves me. I´m sure I´m going to find the antidote in no time with the energy you gave me! Thank you so much again!"

She turned around fully, her fists on her waist, back straight. "I think this conversation will make us friends now, ne, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke blinked the first time after the woman in front of him started talking. "Sure."

"Alright, but I warn you, I´m not an easy friend to handle! See you tomorrow!"

With that, she rushed towards the hospital. After five metres of walking, she turned around again, speaking a little louder. "You´re working tomorrow, right?"

Sasuke nodded. And she smiled, and she walked away again, leaving an astonished barista behind.

Sasuke sat there alone, for about half an hour. He contemplated what happened in the last twenty minutes he has spent with his dearest mystery of a pink-haired woman.

She was upset.

He made her happy, made her smile, made her laugh.

He brought that beautiful spark in her eyes back.

She declared them being friends.

They were, finally and officially, _fiends_ now.

 _" …_ _you´re my most important person … "_ she said.

 _" …_ _Nothing can get between us. … "_ she said.

 _" …_ _We´re inseparable companions for life! … "_ she said.

Sasuke grinned a boyish smile, one that he didn´t wear for two years now.

But it only lasted for a few seconds.

Because what she had said was only meant to be a little mocking, figurative speaking. Nothing more.

 _Only friends, nothing more._

 _But that was something, right?_

* * *

 _And it was a beginning of sorts. A beautiful beginning,_

* * *

 _Fin._


	3. A little Help from A Friend

**_For A Cup of_** ** _Caramella_**

* * *

 _Chapter 3_

* * *

She knew it was too late. But she went there anyway, since she had promised to come by today.

It was already dark outside. There weren´t many people on the streets, on Sunday nights. Few teenagers maybe, some young couples enjoying the late summer night, with warm but still refreshing breezes of soft winds and a clear night sky, illuminated by a glowing sea of stars. The young woman stopped and looked up to catch the beautiful scenery with her eyes. Letting out a content sigh through her nose, she started walking again. It was a beautiful night, indeed. Even kind of romantic, one may say.

As Sakura approached her destination, she was surprised to see soft, yellow light shining onto the streets from the windows of the café. The outside furniture was nowhere to be seen, and the closing time was long overdue. Still, seems there was someone still inside.

 _Could it be … ?_

* * *

 _"A little help coming straight from a Friend"_

* * *

She was looking forward to see Sasuke today. He was nice company, she found out yesterday. He was a patient listener, and observer, she realized. All in all, an interesting, friendly person in her opinion. And, the only friend that was available right now for her to boast a little about the development of the cure for the poison she told him about.

Sakura´s steps slowed down the closer she came to the café. Lifting her left hand, she touched the corner of the first large window, and slowly peeked inside, as if she was on stealth. To her surprise, there _was_ a barista, swiping the coffee machines on the counter, clad in his official uniform.

It wasn´t Sasuke.

The barista Sakura saw had blonde hair, deep-blue eyes and whisker marks on both his cheeks. Sakura couldn´t help but giggle to herself. The blonde man´s lips were pouting and his cheeks puffed out, he was obviously whistling, matching the melody with his swiping movements, as if he was dancing with the machine.

The pinkette managed to stop the giggling, but she couldn´t hold back the grin on her face. She walked forward until she stood in front of the outside door. The plate behind the door was turned for outsider´s to read: _CLOSED. Doesn´t look all that closed to me,_ Sakura thought, amused. _If that guy is in there, I wonder if_ he _is, too. Guess I´ll give it a try. I still have a promise to keep, right?_

Sakura shrugged her shoulders to herself and knocked on the glass of the door three times. The blue-eyed barista, though, didn´t hear her it seemed, since he was still whistling to himself. And ´dancing´. The stubborn pinkette knocked again, only harder. In one fast move, the blonde turned his head in the direction of the knocking sound, scrunching his body up, obviously embarrassed to be caught in his act. As he saw who stood there, laughing to herself after seeing the shocked figure of the man, he grinned, scratching his neck. A blush spread over his whiskered cheeks. He tossed the damp cloth in his hands on the counter, turned around and shouted something to the room in the back. Sakura watched the scene patiently, biting on her lower lip. The blonde man finally turned to her, walked to the door in front of the young woman, and opened it. They smiled at each other´s familiar faces.

"Hey, Sakura-chan! Nice to see you."

"Hey, Naruto. You, too."

Naruto let her in, swaying with his right arm through the room, as if showing her for the first time.

"Welcome, welcome, my lady! Welcome to our lovely and comfy café, dattebayo!"

Sakura held her hands in front of her mouth, giggling. Naruto was always cheerful, no matter the situation. He was like the child of the family in this café, always eager for fun and foreplay.

"Thank you, dear gentleman. What a lovely sight indeed!" She answered politely, playing the game as well.

They proceeded to stand by the counter. Naruto leaned on it with an elbow of his, face in his hand and legs accommodated to the lazy and bored expression and gestures of his body. "Good to see you here, Sakura-chan! It´s so boring here, cleaning the café alone. So, how have you been?"

Sakura smiled politely, leaning on the counter as well. "I´ve been good, lots of work keeping me active as usual. That´s why I couldn´t come here earlier. How are you? You were on holidays, right?"

Naruto came to stand fully in front of Sakura again, as he heard the word ´holidays´. He bounced a little on his feet, fisting his hands and holding them in front of him, excitedly. "Oh, _damn yes_ I was! I was in Suna, dattebayo! It was so hot there, everything was full of sand and creepy snakes and scorpions and stuff and _oh_ \- I´ve seen _the_ Kazekage-ttebayo! His name was … _Gura_ or something –"

Sakura couldn´t hold back her laughter. "Do you mean, _Gaara_ , by any chance?"

"-Oh, yes, yes! That was his name! How do you always know such things, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura changed her composure, as if lecturing a child for a hundredth time. "I´m a ninja, Naruto, I know such things. And, I am proud to say that I attended the genin exams together with lord Kazekage himself when I was eleven."

Naruto jumped up and down like an excited child-

"Woaaaaaaah, no way! You, a customer of this little café I´m working in, has attended _the - "_

-and stopped, scratching his neck in confusion.

" – what was it again-exams?"

Sakura only laughed again, laying a hand on his shoulder. "It´s just an exam for levelling up in Shinobi status, Naruto. To become _genin._ "

Naruto scratched his chin, signalling the spinning of wheels in his head. Sakura´s hand found her side again.

"So, you are, a _genin_ now?"

"No, now I´m a jounin."

Naruto held up his forefinger skyward. "Ahhh, but before that, you were genin, right? Right?"

"No. I was chuunin before. _That_ comes before genin."

Naruto was pouting, now, trying to understand this ninja-level-status-system.

"…"

Sakura smiled at him. "Don´t worry, Naruto, it´s nothing you have to worry about anyway. But I can explain everything about the ranks later, ne?"

The blonde lifted his thumbs up, grinning brightly. "Sounds like a plan, dattebayo!"

"Yeah, sure, whenever I´ll be around again. But, tell me, is Sasuke-kun still here? He told me he´d work today."

Naruto blinked a few times, the question catching him off-guard. He grinned sheepishly, then, as if knowing something. Folding his hands behind his back, he said, "Ah, yeah, sure he is! He´s in the back, doing money-business and all."

"Oh, ok. Maybe I should come tomorro-"

Naruto didn´t listen to her, holding her wrist tightly and dragging her to one of the rooms in the back. "Nonsense! Actually, while you keep teme busy, you´ll do me a great favor!"

"Huh? Naruto, wait, I really sho-"

But it was too late. Naruto swung her arm and body into a room with a few bigger tables and chairs around them. There were also lockers in the back, and two comfortable couches.

By one of the tables, sat Sasuke. Notes and coins were organized on the table in front of him, also, a few sheets of paper he already wrote something on. And an opened energy drink, not to forget.

"Teme! See who came to see you!" Naruto announced as he pushed a dumbfounded Sakura into the room.

Sasuke´s head immediately shot up, annoyance clear on his features-

"I´m working here, idio-"

-until he looked at his visitor. His breath hitched in his throat, together with the words that couldn´t escape his mouth.

" _Sakura." What is she doing here? Wait, yesterday, she said she would come by. But … at this hour?_

Sakura looked as irritated as him, a blush adorning her cheeks. _Oh lord, he is working. I should have known not to come here this late. Poor guy, hopefully he´s done with most of his work already. He must be so exhausted. What a friend I am._

"Sasuke-kun _._ I´m really sorry, I didn't know you were working an-"

Naruto happily chimed in. "Nonsense, take a seat. Teme is surely finished already and lets me do all the cleaning alone."

Naruto was a good distraction for him. Better annoyed at him than embarrassed in front of the pinkette.

"If I had to do the cleaning, I´d be finished hours ago, you slowcoach."

"Heh?! Last time I checked, you were here till midnight!"

"Because we had a special day when the café was open _until_ midnight. First start learning our language before talking to me, moron."

"The language _I_ use is called _slang_ , something you will never learn because you are an antisocial asshole! Look at this girl, coming here to see _you_ at this hour, and all you do is ignoring her! I swear, I can´t understand why you always get the prettiest girls with that bastard attitude, dattebayo!"

"The blessing _I_ have is called _looks and charm_ , something you will never have because nature ignored you as being side-trash," Sasuke mimicked Naruto.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" Naruto came closer to his colleague, hands in fists.

Sasuke stood up from his chair, hands on the table, leaning over it in Naruto´s direction. " _I said-"_

Sakura burst out laughing, leaning on a chair with her hands. She had never seen anything like this before. The two grown up men she saw nearly every day for two years were fighting for the first time in front of her, as if them being an old married couple. She couldn't even see a reason in their fighting, they just started to insult each other without second thought. She _never, ever_ has seen anything amusing like this.

The two men were watching Sakura silently, contemplating the sight in front of them. As she didn´t stop laughing, they looked at each other, obviously embarrassed.

* * *

"So," Sakura wiped some tears from her eyes away. "For how long do you know each other?"

The only three people in the café sat down on one of the comfortable couches in the back of the staff room. They got themselves cokes from the fridge in the kitchen. Sakura sat in the middle, with Sasuke to her left and Naruto to her right.

"Longer than it´s healthy", Sasuke answered.

"Since kindergarten. Woah, Sasuke, that´s almost fifteen years now!"

"Unfortunately."

Sakura could only giggle at their boyish behaviour. "Wow, that long, really? Are you best friends, then?"

"Of course we are! Right, Sasuke?"

"…"

"As long as you don´t say no, that´s a yes, dattebayo!"

"Think what you want, loser."

Sakura sighed to herself. "That must be nice. Having a best friend that you can see every day."

Sasuke sensed her little sadness immediately. "It´s not. Believe me, that knucklehead brought me nothing but trouble."

"Oi, that´s not true, man! Without me, you wouldn´t have find a job here at the café-ttebayo!"

"What a blessing."

Sakura pouted childishly at Sasuke. "Mou, Sasuke-kun, so you say you don´t like this job although you see me every day?"

Sasuke was a little startled by that. He got a nervous, even if Sakura was clearly joking. Of course, his so called _best friend_ made it worse.

"Hehehehe, teme", Naruto started, the evil glint evident in his eyes. "Sakura-chan hit a point there. You know Sakura-chan, the only thi-"

"How far are you with finding the cure you told me about?", Sasuke chimed in to rescue himself. As Sakura started talking and Naruto shot him an angry and disappointed glare, the young barista knew his friend would shut his mouth for a while.

"Oh, I´m doing great with it! I found something that decreases the symptoms of the poison. It will only be a matter of time until I find a cure. Thanks for your support again!"

"Sounds great. And no problem. I already told you that it wasn´t a big deal."

"Still, it was good to have someone to talk to. I owe you, don´t forget!"

They smiled at each other, well, Sasuke smirked.

Naruto found interesting what he heard, and leaned forward to observe the people next to him. "Waaaaait, did I miss something or are you seeing each other? You talk really friendly and familiarly now, I must say. HA!" He pointed accusingly at the two. "DON´T TELL ME YOU STARTED DATING BEHIND MY BACK WHILE I WAS ON MY HOLIDAYS!"

Sasuke facepalmed and groaned while Sakura explained to Naruto what happened yesterday on the bench outside the café.

"Wow, didn´t know you do things like that, too, Sakura-chan."

"Well, I do _many things_ there you two don´t know _anything_ about", Sakura said, in a very meaningful undertone in her voice. The boys shivered.

"So", Naruto began again to change the topic. "Does that mean you´re available for dating?" He wiggled with his eyebrows, suggestively.

Sakura blushed a little, holding her cheeks. "Yeah, I guess so", she sighed. "I actually had a date planned this Friday, but he has to go on a mission two days before. I even asked to have a full day off to prepare myself but now I have to spend the whole day alone it seems." Her hands fell on her lap, shoulders slacked down.

"What a coincidence!", Naruto declared with that I-have-an-awesome-idea-face Sasuke didn´t like at all. Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Sasuke-teme is free this Friday, too, dattebayo!" – "I am?", Sasuke asked – no, hissed suspiciously. – "Of course you are! Hey, Sakura-chan, why don´t you go on a date with Sasuke that day? Since you go along well like you told me?" Naruto made puppy eyes at her, as if _he_ was asking her out, while Sasuke glared at the blonde with death written on his eyes. Sakura didn´t notice this and considered the possibility of the date, seriously. _Well, if I don´t have anything to do and he too, why not give it a try? Could be fun, actually. Better than strolling on Konoha´s streets all day alone, anyway._

"Sure, I mean, if Sasuke-kun is ok with it? We could do something fun, as friends. Better than spending your whole free day alone, right?"

Sakura looked directly at Sasuke now, with a questioning smile. Naruto peeked from behind her at Sasuke, nervously biting at the collar of his shirt with anticipation, sweat evident on his forehead, and nodding vehemently with his head. _Go for it, teme! This is your freaking chance you waited for two freaking years! GO, TEME, GO! GO, TEME, GO! GO, TEME, GO-_

The Uchiha wasn´t sure if he was ready for this. Or what he should think about this whole thing, anyway. He wasn´t hesitant about going on dates generally, he went on a lot of them when he was younger with girls he couldn´t remember anymore. But this wasn´t any other girl, this was _Sakura_ , he had more to do with than just having a crush on her. He was sure about that, since he knew from experience what a crush was. And it was definitely _not_ as serious as the thing that pulled his heart towards this woman.

That´s why his rational mind told him not to give in. It warned him. The more he spent time with Sakura, he knew the more heartbreak it would bring him in the end. What happened yesterday – the _friendly_ talk on the bench – was enough already. After he listened to the conversation she had with that girl Ten Ten in the café he tried to keep his distance, to concentrate on other things, to forget her. It wasn´t easy when the same person visited almost _every day_ for _two damn years_. And it would certainly not be easier if this person would come to the café in the future, her arm linked around another man´s. It wouldn´t be that hard if she didn´t talk to him much, if she kept her distance as well, but now she considered them even _friends_ , sitting here, sandwiched between Naruto and himself, asking him – _him_ – out on a date. Well, more like for time to hang out with a friend. However, the fact that they would only spend a day together as so called _friends_ broke his heart more.

That heart his mind was so worried about, though, pushed him further to its destination. It wanted _so bad_ to take this opportunity, to just give it a try. _Maybe there will develop something more? Maybe Sakura will finally realize that there isn´t a border between them, that they are supposed to be more than friends? That Sasuke is the man of her dreams? Maybe-_

No, he wasn´t going to give his heart much participation in this debate. He learned that listening to his heart and carnal needs never did him any good. It was Naruto´s thing to handle any situation with them, but not Sasuke´s. He needed to listen to his brain. Even if his heart hurt because of that.

 _Definitely, a no_. "Yes."

 _Wait, what?!_

Sakura and Naruto smiled (grinned) widely, clapping their hands.

 _But, I … I just thought ´no´ and … ah, screw it._

Sasuke was dumbfounded, his body reacted against his will, like yesterday, when he agreed to talk with Sakura.

"Alright!", Sakura said, standing up. She turned around to face the men. "It was nice with you two, but I have work tomorrow." She held her can up – "Thanks for the coke." – and turned to Sasuke. "And thank you for saying yes. I know it was a rushed decision, but I´m really looking forward to this date. I mean, I would have had to spend all day alone and all. Let´s talk about details later when I come over again, like where and when." Sasuke could only nod at that. With Naruto´s pushing and nagging Sasuke made his way to the outside door, too, to say goodbye. When he came back, his head was still cloudy from his inner conflict, and Naruto made himself comfortable on the couch, resting his hands behind his head with a victorious grin on his face.

Sasuke didn´t look as happy as him, not even a little.

"Hey, Naruto", he said. "Let´s go to a bar."

This would be a long night.

* * *

"Why did you do that?"

The two friends changed into their every-day clothes, hoodies, jeans and sneakers back in the café. They were sitting by the counter in a bar they would visit when serious talk was on the agenda. There weren´t many people, maybe five customers, and the girl that served drinks and gave Sasuke glances he ignored every time.

Naruto took a long drink before answering. "´Cos I´m sick of seeing you every damn week with that serious, hurt and longing face when you look at her. I don´t understand what´s wrong with you, honestly. Two years ago you didn´t hesitate a second when you sat your eyes on a girl. You kinda have a radar or something for that, but since you met her … It kinda is set off, dattebayo. Why don´t you make a move, Sasuke?" The blonde looked at his best friend, an uncharacteristic serious expression on his face. He would only call him Sasuke when he was talking serious business.

Sasuke sighed and took a sip. "She´s out of my league, Naruto."

"That never was a problem to you. You dated girls that were damn rich."

"It´s not about being poor or rich. She´s a ninja."

Naruto looked at him, questioningly. "So what? That´s cool. I´d love to have a ninja-girlfriend! Or a girlfriend-ninja-dattebayo", he declared, grinning like a fox.

The dark-haired man sighed again. "It´s … _wasn´t_ a problem to me, too. I heard her talking to a friend, Ten Ten, you know her, right?" Naruto nodded. "I heard them talking about potential boyfriends and stuff. She …" Sasuke filled his friend in on what he heard two years ago. "That´s why I´m so hesitant."

"Wow, teme", Naruto said after listening to his friend, looking surprised. "I never heard you saying more than three sentences in a row." Sasuke gave the blonde a dirty look. "You listening to me or not?"

Naruto pouted and crossed his arms in front of his chest. " _You_ should listen to yourself. Man, that was _two years_ ago. _TWO years!"_ Naruto showed him his index and middle finger. "Who knows what she thinks about that today? I mean she was younger then, a girl. She´s a woman now, dattebayo."

"I don't think so. I´m sure we´re the only civilians she is befriended with. She only walks around with those _ninjas_." He hissed the last word, before taking a long drink and slamming the large beer on the counter.

Naruto slammed his jar on the counter, too, mimicking Sasuke. "Then we´re going to show her that we´re capable of being as cool as those _damn, uncool, shitty ninjas_! Even _cooler_!" Unfortunately, he spilled, well, _some_ of his drink on Sasuke´s hoodie while doing so. The man beside him jumped off his place by the counter before looking angrily back at Naruto and smacking his head. "You punk! Do you know how expensive this hoodie was? If those dirty spots won´t get washed away, you´ll pay for it!"

"Yes, yes", Naruto muttered while rubbing at his head. Sasuke sat down again. He didn´t want to make a scene, but he was pissed since he didn't know when and the alcohol didn´t do it any better, making thinking and remembering things harder.

"… So, you say, I should go for it and try to persuade her?", Sasuke said silently, considering this himself.

"Yeah, man", Naruto gave his friend a thumbs up. "Go win her heart and show her how cool our civilian life is! Show her what Sasuke Uchiha, second most successful womanizer and second one of the hottest bachelors in Konoha, is really capable of! Show her, so you won´t regret later that you didn´t at least try, dattebayo!", Naruto declared heroically.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at his friend. "Second?"

Naruto grinned and winked at him, trying to look irresistible. "Second after _me_ , and you know it." Sasuke only rolled his eyes at his friend.

The cheerful atmosphere went on until –

" _´Those damn, uncool, and shitty ninjas´, huh?"_

-someone came to stand behind them, with a _very angry and furious expression_ on his face.

Naruto tried to talk them out of the dilemma while the man pulled at his collar. Sasuke only muttered to hmself, clearly annoyed.

"I knew you only bring me trouble, you loser."

* * *

In the end, Sasuke thanked Naruto with paying both their bills for the drinks. He still wasn´t sure if he should listen to Naruto. Should he really take this advantage and go for it? Show Sakura himself, his life, his heart and look how she will react to that?

 _" …_ _We could do something fun, as friends. … "_

 _" …_ _I´m really looking forward to this date. … "_

 _" …_ _She´s out of my league, Naruto. … "_

 _" …_ _Show her, so you won´t regret later that you didn´t at least try, dattebayo! … "_

Who should he listen to?

He was pulled out of his thoughts when his brother asked him why it took him so long to come home after he entered it.

Sasuke sighed wearily, rubbing at the bandages around his head and arm, artefacts from his visit at the hospital half an hour ago.

"… Naruto", he muttered.

Itachi just laughed, knowing exactly what that meant.

* * *

 _Fin._


	4. The unintentional Doctor-Visit

**_For A Cup Of Caramella_**

* * *

 _Chapter 4_

 _"The unintentional Doctor-Visit"_

* * *

Sasuke was pissed, the second he woke up. It was as easy as that.

The reason for his sour mood may or may not be that the whole day went wrong from the beginning.

He woke up with the feeling of needles constantly pulling in and out of his head. Only the thinking of his headache coming whether from the amount of alcohol he drank at the bar _or_ the amount of punches – some of them he smugly dodged, but only thanks to the also drunken state the ninja was in – from yesterday night, or both, made him angry enough not to give it a second thought. The second thought he gave, though, was about the ordinary fact that, of course, this was all Naruto´s fault again, and about the rather more annoying thought of some medical ninjas that gave them amused expressions and even dared to talk about them behind their backs. Sasuke was happy that they disappeared soon after since there were civilian medics around who tended to them. It was always like that, the less severe injuries were looked at by civilians, the more dangerous ones by ninjas. That´s why he almost never saw Sakura around. He was grateful for that.

 _Sakura. The date._

To brush his dark thoughts away, Sasuke started to evaluate _how_ he was supposed to work with the state he was in. The bandaged head aside, his arm worried him the most. A barista needed two functional arms, hands and fingers to serve a decent coffee, let alone handling a coffee machine. Sasuke switched his position so that he was sitting on the side of his bed and tried to stretch his arms up but hissed and pulled them down immediately to the pain. To make things worse, together with the pulsating of his arm did his head give out shockwaves of pain as well. Sasuke leaned back to lay on his bed again, slowly, closing his eyes. At least his shift started in the afternoon today. There was plenty of time left to think himself a way out of his misery. If there had been just a way to kill the pain fast …

Sasuke´s eyes shut open. Actually, there was a way. A rather unorthodox one.

He wouldn´t try, would he?

* * *

Sakura was happy, the second she woke up. It was as easy as that.

The reason for her good mood may or may not be that the whole day went right from the beginning.

She woke up to a beautiful late summer morning, and snuggled deep back into her sheets and pillow since she was in no rush at all. With a satisfied moan, she remembered that her shift at the hospital started in the afternoon. That meant that she had all time in the world to prepare herself, maybe go somewhere nice before her work started. She needed to do some shopping, after all. Or should she start reading the book Tsunade gave her the other day? Sakura pouted at the thought. Nah, shopping was fine. Especially because her wage was remitted the other day. She grinned at the thought and sprung out of bed, getting ready for breakfast.

* * *

Sakura made her way to her favourite café. She spent the whole morning in the shopping mall of the village. First, she ate a delicious breakfast, then went to look for a nice dress for her date with Sasuke on Friday and started grocery shopping. After she put everything to the right place at home, she cooked herself a meal and prepared herself for work. To increase the luck of the day, she decided to first visit Sasuke before going to the hospital to talk to him about the arrangements for Friday and order her _caramella_ and cookie. Hence, she left her home earlier than usual.

She trudged to the café, greeting familiar patients and colleagues on the way. Since the café was close to the hospital, she crossed a lot of people she knew on her way.

A smile creeped on her face when she spotted Sasuke behind the bar, talking to some customers. The door to the café was open, thanks to the warm weather outside. Sakura entered the café, greeted a few girls she knew who sat by a table, and walked to the counter. Sasuke adjusted a few glasses and bugs on the shelves behind the counter, his back turned to the pinkette. Sakura noticed a strangeness to his movements, as if them being more swiftly, more … _graceful_? She shook her head to clear it. It must have been her imagination, she thought. Maybe she was so happy that her brain was filled with hormones that played with her senses. She smiled again.

"One big size _caramella_ and white cookie, please!", she chirped her trademark sentence.

Sasuke turned around, faster than usual, she noticed, and looked at her with a dumbfounded expression.

"Oh, uh, it´s you. I mean, yeah, give me a minute."

"Uhm, yeah it´s me. And okay." Sakura sensed that something was wrong, of course. Her ninja skills allowed her to recognize every changed detail in her surroundings. As did she with Sasuke.

As she already saw, he moved faster, but clumsier. He looked like he needed to concentrate more on things he did, even on preparing her coffee. His way of talking caught her offguard as well. He wasn´t as composed as usual, not as cool, not as smug. He somehow behaved … lightheaded?

When he gave her the _caramella_ – not _pushed_ it towards her – wrote her name wrong on the cup –´Harno Sakur´ - and forgot to hand her a cookie she started to observe him more intently, with her medic eyes. Sasuke just stared at her, not even annoyed, and didn´t ask why she looked him over. Instead, he smirked at her and was about to open his mouth, but closed it before he could talk and looked irritated and _lost_ , as if he needed to remember what he was doing. It was then that Sakura focused on his pupils more and-

"Sasuke, do you have a minute? I need to talk to you – alone."

She didn´t wait for him to respond – it would have taken too long for her liking, anyway – and called on another barista behind the counter.

"Hey, you, I need to borrow your friend for a while. He has a high fever and I need to take him to the hospital immediately."

"O-of course, Sakura-san!" It wasn´t hard to recognize the living pink haired heir to Lady Tsunade who worked in the hospital nearby.

"I don´t think he will be able to work later today so don´t wait for him, okay? I´ll send someone to deliver a medical certificate today." Sasuke wanted to interfere, well tried to, but Sakura cut him off by handing the other barista money for her coffee and cookie and dragging Sasuke out of the café. The black-haired barista tried to concentrate on walking while Sakura dragged him to her home instead of her office, through some deserted alleys. She swung one of Sasuke´s arms around her shoulders, held it tightly and supported his waist with her other arm before jumping on her balcony. Sasuke was too much occupied with his dizziness to notice that he just jumped at least ten metres up as if it was nothing. Dragging the man inside, she let him sit on her bed and left her bedroom. When she came back, she spotted Sasuke standing on her balcony alone, holding the railing and looking down. The pinkette threw the medical kit and some other things she held on her bed and hurried to stand beside the barista to hold him back from the railing. "Come back inside, _now_!", she demanded and pulled him into her bedroom again.

Sasuke rubbed his head with his knuckles. "I need to go back. To work."

"You´re going to go anywhere but to your home after we´re finished here." Sakura´s tone was chiding, even angry. She rummaged through her kit and found a syringe she looked for.

"But I _need_ to go."

" _No_ ," Sakura told him. " _Now_ , you need to hold still." She gave Sasuke a shot with lightning speed before he could protest. She didn´t know if he was afraid of them or not, so she had to be fast.

After the realization of being injected sank in, Sasuke blinked and looked angrily at her doctor. "I hate shots."

The pinkette raised an accusing eyebrow at her patient. "With the state you are in now, I think you don´t hate them as much as to give yourself drugs with them." Her face was red in fury now, but she tried to hold her composure.

"It wasn´t a drug. It was a strong painkiller, that´s all."

Sakura tried her best not to punch Sasuke straight in the face at this moment. He was high, so he didn´t know what he was saying. She had to be gentle and most patient. It was a doctor´s rule. "What kind of a painkiller does _this_ to you?!" She pointed at him, exasperated.

"It´s … Unnngh!", Sasuke held his head in both hands. The injection started to show its effect, Sakura knew.

"Whatever it is, you better tell me why you used that in the first place!"

Sasuke´s body swayed from left to right. Sakura helped him lay down on her bed. It was the first time it was used as a patient bed. _And absolutely the last_ , she swore to herself.

The pinkette waited for the man to come to his senses, but knew that he was asleep by the slow rising and falling of his chest and his calm breathing. He was a civilian after all, his body wasn´t as strong as a trained ninja´s.

Sakura sighed annoyed and rubbed at her forehead. She turned around to get her _caramella_ and cookie she had left in the balcony, each of them in different hands, and went back to look at Sasuke.

She sipped from her cup and raised her eyebrows in wonder. _Even when he´s on drugs, he still makes the best coffees_ , she mused and bit in her cookie.

* * *

Sasuke´s world turned from black to white when he woke up. He groaned and stretched, comfortably. He felt like he slept in heaven, he felt so relaxed that he didn´t want to open his eyes at the moment. Rolling onto his stomach, he buried his face into the pillows below him, smelling a strange flavour, one of a … _woman?_ Well, whoever that woman was, she had a good taste for mattresses and shampoo.

"Feeling comfortable?", someone asked, next to him. _That_ was the voice of a woman he knew very well.

Sasuke turned around fast and sat up. He looked straight ahead at the wall, then slowly averted his eyes to the woman who stood next to him, arms crossed and one eyebrow raised in question.

Sasuke inhaled deeply, trying to gather his thoughts. "Why", he started, "and where, are we, here?"

"You don´t remember?"

Sasuke blinked. "No."

Sakura held up an item. "Does the word ´drug´ ring a bell?" There was a syringe in her hand.

Sasuke let out a sigh of relief and chuckled deeply to himself, holding his red neck. "And I thought…", he murmured.

"Thought _what_?", the pinkette snarled.

"N-never mind." Sasuke shook his head. He rubbed his face and sighed. _Damn, that was embarrassing. As if Sakura and I would …_

"Will you explain me now why you were on drugs in the first place?" Sakura had that face which said _no fun with me today_ that made Sasuke shiver.

Suddenly, his stomach growled in an angry snarl.

Sasuke´s cheeks became a little pink and he looked down. Sakura smirked and chuckled lightly. "Well", she said. "At least my bad temper is away, now. Come help me making dinner in the kitchen. You can explain later."

* * *

Sakura munched enjoyingly on her food. "Yur nout ounly god ad maykong cophe … " She swallowed. "But also great at cooking. Have you ever thought about opening your own restaurant or something?", she inquired and happily took the last bite of her onigiri. Sasuke just shrugged with his shoulders while finishing the dish-wash. After he dried his hands, he turned around and spoke to the pinkette. "Thanks for letting me stay. But I need to go n-" – "Oh, no, mister! You still owe me an explanation." Sakura pointed accusingly at the man. – "It has nothing to do with you." – "It _has_ something to do with me! I patched you up, and by that I don´t just mean your drug problem, but your other injuries as well. You looked like you were beaten up very bad, you know." Sasuke´s eyebrows knitted together in thought, his mouth slightly open in wondering. He touched his head and arm lightly, then with more pressure. It was true. The remnants of that fight yesterday in front of the bar were away. He was relieved. But it was still disturbing that Sakura of all people had to nurse him. He sighed. _At least the pain´s away_.

"Stop looking like a lost puppy and sit down here." Sakura pointed at the chair by the other side of the table. Sasuke sighed again and complied. The pinkette wasn´t someone to argue with, he learned that today.

"So", Sakura started, crossing her arms on the table. "You can talk."

"About what?"

"The drugs, the injuries. And why, please."

"…"

Silence. Sasuke stared at her, not willing to share his memories with the pinkette.

It was Sakura´s turn to sigh now. She looked at Sasuke intently and earnestly, her head cocked to the side. "I know that everyone has secrets, Sasuke. But using drugs _and_ having bad bruises that obviously come from fighting – don´t look at me like that, I´m a medic and I know my business – is something that doctors have to ask their patients about. Especially if they are civilians and shouldn´t have either of them."

"So you claim that _ninjas_ can do drugs and fighting but _not civilians_?" Sasuke´s hands turned into fists under the table.

"I don´t say they have permission and the others not", Sakura explained herself. "I say that it´s unusual for a civilian. Like, most civilians do that kind of thing when they are … not walking on the right track if you catch my meaning." Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her. "So you think I´m a criminal?" Sakura didn´t comment on that. "Ninjas do that often, even drugs. Everybody knows, because almost everybody tries." – "Why?" – "It comes from the emotional trauma we experience." – "Like what?"

They stared at each other. Sakura´s eyes turned a deeper green, becoming glassy again like that time when they talked on the bench. It´s now that he understood the meaning behind that look. It kept secrets.

"Like killing people."

Sasuke gulped and looked down, not knowing what to say. Sure, he did experience a lot of miseries in his life, maybe more drama than other families did, but … killing?

"Now, don´t make that face." Sakura smiled, but it was a fake smile, he knew. "Thanks for the sympathy. But we know how to deal with that sort of thing, so don´t worry. The times I made a big deal about that are over."

Sasuke didn´t believe that he would feel something like this towards the woman. Something like _disgust_.

Sakura´s face became a little sour, but still friendly. Like a mother´s who was disappointed of her child over being angry at her. "I already told you not to make faces at mine." She sighed and slumped back on her chair. Sasuke was looking at her now, from under his lashes with a stern face. "I know what you´re thinking. I´m like a monster to you, am I not? How can she talk about killing like that as if it was daily life? But to be honest, it is. I see death every day, Sasuke. I´m a medic after all." Sakura paused, knowing that both of them had to gather their thoughts. "But I´m not killing for no good reason. Instead, I´m ending the lives of those who do and I´m saving the ones who don´t. That´s a significant difference, don´t you think?" Sasuke let sank that information in. "You could still spare those lives. Try to make them better men. Everyone … deserves a second chance." _Even me_.

" _No_ ", Sakura stressed with a serious face. "I´ve seen people I cannot call human anymore, Sasuke. They are like … lunatic animals, like real monsters. They seek blood for their fun, for satisfaction and relief. If there weren´t people like that around, there wouldn´t be any ninjas."

Sasuke could only stare at her. He totally didn´t know what to say to this.

Sakura sighed, and her hand went through her hair in an exasperated gesture. "I´m sorry. I didn´t want to burden you with any of this. It´s a lot to take in-"

"I´m not weak." Sasuke sated, firm. Sakura looked a little surprised, but stood her composure. "I may be a civilian, who doesn´t know any of this ninja-stuff, but I´m still no weak man. I´ve went through a lot of shit myself, _bad_ shit, but I´m not a wreck because of it. I survived. So don´t you dare go easy on me."

There was an astonished silence. Sakura grinned at him, or smirked. Now she looked more like a proud or smug mother. Sasuke was wrong. That time in the café when she looked at him from under her lashes with a blush on her face? No. _This fierce Sakura_ was the most alluring picture he´s ever seen on a woman.

"I´ll take your word for it." She put her elbows on the table and rested her head on her hands, bowing her upper body to the front, to catch a better look of him. "You know, you´d make a fine shinobi with that fire in your veins."

Sasuke snorted amused and lifted an eyebrow. "That´s the strangest compliment a woman gave to me." Sakura chuckled. "I´m not any woman, Sasuke-kun." The _´kun´_ in her talking showed him that they were on friendly terms again. He must have impressed her.

The pinkette smiled sweetly. "I have to say, I was blinded by that handsome, yet cold face myself. I thought you´d be some boring guy, only trying to let time pass until his shift was over and he could leave for home. I was deadly wrong." She cocked her head to the side, looking like a cat. "But you´re really interesting. You´re a patient observer, and a thinker. Like someone who is on watch or has to establish a mission plan."

"Your brain is only filled with ninja stuff."

Sakura chuckled. "I know, but who can blame me? That´s what I am. And that´s why I want to be friends with you. I want to get to know you and your civilian life, since I have to protect you as well when I´m on the battlefield." _And since I want to be hokage one day, and I will need to understand people who I want to serve._

Sasuke ´hmph´-ed and looked at her, obviously bored. He moved to stand up when-

"No, no, no, where do you think you´re going?" Sakura stood up as well, holding his wrist.

"I need to go back to w-" was Sasuke´s excuse when he noticed that he was at work the last time, when … His face became worried and angry in an instant. "What time is it? How long was I here?!" – "Don´t worry, Sasuke-kun, I already send a sick note to the café, signed by me. They think you had a fever." Sasuke reaxed a little, but he still frowned. "What´s wrong?" – "Work is important." – "I know, but being sick for one day won´t cause your boss too much trouble, would it? If you want, I can go talk to him." – "No, it´s not that." Sasuke looked at the chair he sat on a while ago. His eyes seemed distant.

"Then what is it?"

Sasuke shifted, obviously feeling uncomfortable. "I … need the money." The pinkette couldn´t help but sense that her guest had quite a few secrets himself.

Sakura arched an eyebrow. She waited for him to continue, so she didn´t speak. Sasuke sighed aloud, he knew he had to say _something_ or she wouldn´t let loose. "I … have a debt to pay off, that´s all." – "I hope it´s not to some money-mafia or something?" – "It´s not about money. I have to … _buy_ someone something I … accidently … took away." Sakura could swear she could hear honest remorse, regret and sorrow in the man´s voice but didn´t want to push it. Everyone had their secrets, so had she, and sometimes it felt better to hide them.

"Okay."

Sasuke blinked, obviously relieved that there were no more questions coming.

"So the drugs you bought- " – "It was a _painkiller_." – "-were more favourable than some medicine from any apothecary?" – It seemed that the questioning would go on, though. "Yeah."

Sakura sighed and groaned, scratching her temple. _Screw it! Why am I dealing with this anyway? It´s not like we´re best friends or anything._ She looked at Sasuke, who looked back with a blank face.

"Alright. Since this is kind of an illegal thing we managed to do here, we´re not supposed to talk to someone else about it, right?" Sasuke nodded. "Next time something like this happens, you come directly to me, understand?"

"I thought it was illegal?"

"Me helping you isn´t illegal. You drugging yourself, and me as a doctor knowing of this and not sending you into a rehab facility is illegal."

"So some medical ninja healing my wounds is allowed?"

Sakura blinked, dumbfounded. "Of course. You could have gone to a hospital actually."

Sasuke frowned. "Every time I go there, I´m treated by civilian doctors."

"It happens because my colleagues are busy, I guess. We´re mostly needed for the sickest patients."

 _Sure. Explains why they ignored and laughed at me yesterday._ "Hn."

"Anyway", Sakura motioned for the both of them to sit down. "I suppose you don´t want to tell me what happened?" Silence. "Alright", Sakura sighed. "I swear, manly pride… Whatever. I´ll somehow find a way to persuade you to tell me. Don´t worry about that." Sakura wiggled with her index finger. "I have one favour to ask and then I´ll let you go."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow.

"Can you make me some coffee?"

Sasuke looked dumbfounded, then smirked and went to work.

* * *

After Sasuke made Sakura her coffee, he thanked her for taking care of him and staying for dinner. They exchanged numbers – Sakura´s idea – to talk about date arrangements since the pinkette assumed they wouldn´t see each other for more than three minutes at working time. She said she had a new project going on and wouldn´t be able to visit more often the next days. Sasuke insisted that he wouldn´t mind if she worked on Friday – but no, Sakura stubbornly refused.

It … wasn´t as bad as Sasuke thought. Keeping her on a friendly basis, that is. He could manage with that, he thought, at least for the time being. He would keep maintaining distance after the date, though, he was sure about that. This was only an exception, thanks to a loudmouthed Naruto.

The barista smirked at the thought of the blonde lying in his bed, wincing like a baby because of the beatings he got. Sasuke felt smug that he wouldn´t need to deal with his own anymore.

 _Serves you right, loser._

His day turned out to end with a good finish.

* * *

Sakura was in her office, startling at the sudden wave of chakra in her. Her clone dematerialized, it seemed. She left one with Sasuke in her apartment while her true self went to the hospital for work.

She smiled at the thought that the man didn´t even notice once that the woman he ate dinner with wasn´t the true one. It amused her, and somehow, she found him ridiculously cute.

 _Silly man_ , she thought amused, her lips smiling softly.

But she frowned immediately when she remembered the state he was in. That strange so-called _painkiller_ and the injuries he had.

Especially those _old_ wounds she noticed, too. Some deep scratches, bones that have healed long ago, remnants of bruises on his body.

 _" …_ _You could still spare those lives. Try to make them better men. Everyone … deserves a second chance. … "_

 _" …_ _I may be a civilian, who doesn´t know any of this ninja-stuff, but I´m still no weak man. I´ve went through a lot of shit myself,_ bad _shit, but I´m not a wreck because of it. I survived. So don´t you dare go easy on me. … "_

 _" …_ _It´s not about money. I have to … buy someone something I … accidently … took away. … "_

He was a strange man, with a lot of secrets. Still, he seemed to be a good type of people. Sakura was very eager to know more about his life – about him.

She smiled and took a sip of the coffee the cafeteria of the hospital served. She sighed deeply.

 _Wish he would be here … serving me the best coffee …_

* * *

 _Fin._


	5. The Call before the Date

**_For A Cup Of Caramella_**

* * *

 _Chapter 5_

 _"The Call before the Date"_

* * *

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _"_ _Mou, come on. It´s past your working time already!"_

 _Beep._

 _Sighing._

 _Beep._

 _Rustling sounds._

 _"…_ _ello?"_

 _"_ _Hey, Sasuke-kun!"_

 _More rustling sounds. Grunting._

 _"_ _Sakura."_

 _"_ _Yup! It´s me. Were you sleeping?"_

 _"_ _Yeah. Just woke up."_

 _"_ _Oh, sorry. I woke you up, didn´t I?"_

 _"_ _Don´t worry about that. I didn´t intend taking a nap anyway. Must have fallen asleep when I was resting."_

 _"_ _You only say so."_

 _"_ _Stop whining. I´m telling the truth."_

 _"_ _And you stop mocking me. I bet you´re smirking right now."_

 _"_ _Hn. Why´d you call?"_

 _"_ _Why, thank you for asking. I´m doing great. How are you?"_

 _Sighing. "Sakura."_

 _"_ _I know, I know." Giggling. "I swear you´re even grumpier when you´re sleepy."_

 _Silence._

 _"_ _Alright, don´t want to interfere your beauty sleep too much." Rustling. "I wanted to ask if you planned anything for the date on Friday. But before that; How are you, really? I know I healed you yesterday but I wanted to make sure."_

 _"_ _Everything´s fine. Thanks again."_

 _"_ _Great! And you´re welcome. … So, anything planned yet?"_

 _"…_ _Not really. You?"_

 _"_ _I … uh, no." Nervous laughing. "That´s why I called you, actually. So we might figure something out together. Guess we´re too busy with working than to bother about it, right?"_

 _"_ _Hn. Do you want anything specific?"_

 _"_ _Like what?"_

 _"_ _Like where and when."_

 _"_ _Well, just Friday. I have time all day. Don´t know about you, though."_

 _"_ _Restaurant or city?"_

 _"_ _Huh?"_

 _"_ _Do you want to have dinner in the evening or just walk around the village?"_

 _"_ _What do you mean by ´walking around in the village´"?_

 _"_ _Just taking a walk. Talking. Having lunch together. Things like that."_

 _"_ _Oh, that sounds nice to me! Sure."_

 _"_ _Really?"_

 _"_ _Why not. Did I say something wrong?"_

 _"_ _It´s just … Most women like late evening dinners more."_

 _"_ _Why?"_

 _"_ _I don´t really know. Guess it´s more romantic to them, with roses and candles and stuff."_

 _"_ _Heh. Maybe. But isn´t it boring to do the same thing they do in those cheap romance movies?"_

 _"_ _It is."_

 _"_ _Why did you go on dates with them then?"_

 _"_ _I never said I did."_

 _"_ _You just confirmed that those dinners are boring to you."_

 _"_ _I was younger then. Last time I went to such a date was about two to three years ago. I don´t know what was wrong with my mind then."_

 _"_ _If you say so. But I´m quite of the opinion the word you should use is ´hormones´."_

 _"_ _When do you want me to pick you up?"_

 _Chuckling. "If you appear on my doorstep at ten it´ll be ok."_

 _"_ _Ten as in ´ten in the morning´?"_

 _"_ _Sure."_

 _"_ _Isn´t that too early?"_

 _"_ _Why? We can have late breakfast together!"_

 _Incoherent mumbling._

 _"_ _Did you say something?"_

 _Sighing. "No. But I´ll choose where we´ll eat."_

 _"_ _Alright!"_

 _"_ _Hn."_

 _"_ _What should I wear?"_

 _Awkward coughing. "… Isn´t that something you should ask your girlfriends?"_

 _"_ _Huh? Oh,_ oh _! O-of course, I was just … t-talking to myself! Yup! To myself!"_

 _Snorting. "Hn."_

 _"_ _A-alright, I guess I annoyed you enough, ne?" Nervous laughing. "See you on Friday, then!"_

 _"_ _Yeah."_

 _"_ _Or tomorrow, when you´re working."_

 _"_ _Ah." Stifled yawning._

 _"_ _Sasuke?"_

 _"…_ _Hn?"_

 _"_ _You should really sleep more. I don´t want you taking a nap during the date."_

 _"_ _Sure, mom."_

 _Giggling. "Good night, princess!"_

 _"_ _Night."_

 _Rustling._

 _Tap._

 _Tap._

 _Tap._

 _Pause._

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _"…_ _Sas´ke?"_

 _"_ _Hn. It´s me."_

 _"_ _Don´t get me wrong, but … you never call me at this hour. Why´d you call?"_

 _Sighing. "I … Sakura called me. We´re seriously going on a date on Friday."_

 _"_ _Wooohoooo! That´s great, dattebayo!"_

 _Sighing. "Not really."_

 _"_ _Oi, Sasuke! Isn´t the late summer festival starting this Friday? You could do something fun there."_

 _"_ _You mean the fair in the Central Gardens? Near the river?"_

 _"_ _Yup! I´m sure Sakura-chan would be happy to go there."_

 _"…_ _We´ll see."_

 _"_ _Just trust your instincts. You´ve always been good with women anyways."_

 _"_ _Whatever. That means I´m not going to work on Friday. You´ll need to fill in for me then. I had an afternoon shift planned. Starting at three pm."_

 _"_ _What?! Why_ me _?!"_

 _"_ _Because the date was your idea, clearly."_

 _"_ _But-"_

 _"_ _No buts. You´re my best friend. You´re supposed to back me up in these situations."_

 _Wicked chuckling. "Heh. You just called me your ´best friend´, teme. Well, if you beg me so earnestly, then I´ll have no other choice, ne? Guess the beatings you got must have munched your brain, dattebayo!"_

 _"_ _Tch. I´m all healed, thickhead."_

 _"…_ _Huh?! How?!"_

 _"_ _How are you?"_

 _"_ _Honestly, I still feel like shit. I got worse than you-ttebayo! That guy went after me worse than after you!"_

 _"_ _Serves you right."_

 _"_ _HUH?! WHAT THE HELL, SAS-!"_

 _Tap._

 _Tap. Tap._

 _Sighing._

 _Rustling._

 _Yawning._

 _Mumbling._

 _"_ _Why am I surrounded by the weirdest people?"_

 _"_ _It´s karma, trust me."_

 _Loud rustling._

 _Deep chuckling._

 _"_ _N-nii-san! Since when have you stood in the doorway? How much did you hear?"_

 _"_ _I tuned in on the show when you said something like ´the date was your idea, clearly´. Is Naruto trying to hook you up with someone again?"_

 _Sighing. "Kind of. That idiot."_

 _"_ _You never went on dates with girls he tried to get close to you. What changed this time?"_

 _"_ _This time … it´s someone I already know."_

 _Chuckling. "That´s new."_

 _"…"_

 _"_ _Do you lose your touch or what?"_

 _"_ _Get out."_

 _Sighing. "Foolish little brother. Good night then."_

 _"_ _Night."_

 _"…"_

 _"…"_

 _"_ _Seriously, do you need advice?"_

 _"_ _NO! Never again!"_

 _Loud laughing, fading into distance, together with footsteps._

 _"_ _Maybe next time."_

* * *

 _Fin._


	6. The Date - 1

**_For A Cup Of Caramella_**

* * *

 _Chapter 6_

 _"The Date - 1"_

* * *

It wasn´t the first time he went to pick a girl up for a date. It wasn´t the second, fourth or tenth time either. It may have been the fortieth or sixtieth time. Possibly even a hundredth time. Even so.

He has never felt his inner palms so slick with sweat.

Worse was, he knew the direction already, so he couldn´t occupy his conscious mind with the road to her apartment to stifle his nervous subconscious. In lieu, his thoughts drifted from a tree to jade green eyes, from the sky to a breath-taking smile and back to a tree again, from which to pink hair …

Sasuke has never experienced as exhausting mind-gymnastics as this one. No, he has never met a woman who would drive him to do. He was sure he wanted this to be a once in a lifetime-experience. It was nerve-wrecking, and Sasuke hated everything that made him freak out like a chicken. Internally, of course. His ego would never forgive him if he showed his internal chaos to the outside.

 _09:53 am … seven minutes left. And hours to go …_

The handsome young man eyed his watch longer than necessary, in hope that it would buy him some extra time. It was a very nice watch, he remembered. A black one with silver outlines and a leather bracelet around it. Itachi, his older brother, gifted it to him for the occasion of his eighteenth birthday. Meaning, it has been a year. Sasuke wore it almost every day.

 _Even the numbers and signs seem to be made of silver_ , he mused. _09:54 am._

Sasuke took a step to continue moving towards his destination. It was only two blocks away. He took his surroundings in. Sakura settled herself on a nice corner in Konoha. It was all green, with generous parks here and there. A lot of benches, too, to sit on. There were even a few families with their children, playing happily. Sasuke shuddered and supressed the memories that came with it, looking back to observe the buildings more. They looked like general apartment blocks, save for the fact that they were painted in brighter and fresher colours than his block. A bright yellow house block came in sight. It was Sakura´s. Not a disturbing yellow, mind you, a little darker pastel-coloured. It wasn´t the first time Sasuke came here. As a young teenager, he strolled through the village with his friends, with no reason nor purpose. They were just wandering around, talking, laughing and having fun to kill time. There was almost no corner in Konoha he didn´t knew. The dangerous ghettos, the boulevards for the high-class people. Or the places made for a little higher middle class, like the block Sakura lived in. He recognized the place last time he was there, too. When Sakura healed him in her apartment on Monday this week, after that bar-adventure with Naruto. He just didn´t pay it much attention, for he almost ran home after that, to find himself on familiar territory. Just somewhere the pinkette couldn´t disturb him, neither in reality nor in fantasy.

Sasuke reached the stairs of her outer door.

 _09:58 am._

The raven-haired man was on time. Even two minutes too early.

 _Please just let her be in the hospital. Because some emergency occurred. No, please let her be there, because she forgot, so she won´t remember. Or because that telephone call was a dream, a joke, a fantasy, whatever._

Sasuke sighed wearily. His body slacked down for a moment, before he cleared his throat and stood straight again. He breathed in and out, slowly and consciously, determination evident in his eyes.

 _Don´t be a coward. You´re going to spend some time with her, a few hours maybe. Then you´re going to go home, and forget about everything. She will, too, because … because …_

 _Ah, screw it all._

He wiped the sweat on his pants.

 _Screw Itachi, for making fun of me this morning._

He adjusted his appearance one last time, his hair, his clothes.

 _Screw Naruto, for throwing me in a situation like this._

He raised his hand, to push on the button for a doorbell, under which the name _Haruno Sakura_ was engraved.

 _Screw Sak- … - no._

He waited.

 _Most of all, screw me, who had no other things to do than fall for a ninja of all people._

And waited.

 _10.00 am._

The door Sasuke stood in front of, opened slowly. There was a woman behind that door, second for second revealing herself. The first thing Sasuke noticed were her devilishly red-painted toe-nails. It wasn´t something ordinary men paid attention to first, but damn he had a natural drive for them as far as he could remember his teenage years. His eyes landed on her shoes then, plain black with heals and straps around her feet, revealing skin here and there. His look drifted upper, along her long, _long_ creamy legs until he finally saw the dress she was in. It reached down just above her knees. It was tighter around her upper body, but loosened after it reached her waist. Two not too thin, not too large straps held the dress on her shoulders. She showed no cleavage, for which Sasuke was grateful for. She had a thin, golden bracelet around her wrist, and a black, elegant satchel hanging on her right shoulder. When Sasuke recognized her finger-nails were painted red, he noticed that the dress was plain red as well. Yup, it was confirmed. Red was _definitely_ his favourite colour now.

His eyes wandered to her face, finally, and he gulped. There was no big difference to her appearance than before. She was lightly made up, very lightly, really. Her hair was held back by a black hairband instead of that Konoha-hair band he saw on ninjas. And that was all.

But her bright smile, her happily, wonderfully, excitedly shining eyes, and her slightly blushed cheeks. All of them for him, for the poor barista who worked in a café nearby to her working place. It made him almost feel _sorry_ for the woman. That he was a civilian barista. That he couldn´t give her what other ninjas could. That they were suited better for her, because they were stronger than him, richer, more heroic, better in _every single_ competition.

It´s then that all his bad thinking vanished. This woman made such an effort for him, so much that she couldn´t help but show all her happiness and excitement and joy in one facial expression.

She was perfect. And she only deserved perfect, even if she is to be with another man like him.

But it was no excuse for him to give her any less than _perfect_. He knew he couldn´t do, but he owed to himself in just that moment, that he will give her his best. His best, so she could at least receive something that was nearly perfect. If his best could even reach that point, which he doubted.

Only this time. Only this time will he show her his best side.

 _" …_ _Show her, so you won´t regret later that you didn´t at least try, dattebayo! … "_

 _I´m in, Naruto._

Sasuke smirked at her, lightly. It was a charming one, but not as intense to frighten a woman. It was a friendly, appreciating one.

Sakura turned around once, but fully, while bouncing on her feet, the smile never leaving her lips. Sasuke noticed that the straps on her shoulders formed an ´x´ on her back. Her movement was enough to make his head dizzy.

"How do I look?"

Sasuke let two seconds of a meaningful pause fill the gap between them, then answered.

"Perfect."

Sakura snorted unladylike. "Is that a way to compliment a woman? You should normally go with something like ´beautiful´."

Sasuke only shrugged his shoulders, nonchalantly. "It´s what came to my mind when I saw you."

The pinkette rolled her eyes and huffed. "Do you compliment other women like that, too? Perfect?"

"Hn." Sasuke stepped back and turned so Sakura had enough space to step out of the building. After she closed the door, they faced each other again.

"Beautiful, is _only beautiful_. Perfect, means that you topped _all_ my expectations. _Perfect._ " He stressed the last word and gave her an honest smirk. "To answer your question. You´re the first woman I called perfect." As she understood now, Sakura blushed and slapped his shoulder, lightly. Sasuke flinched just the slightest bit, never expecting her to be that strong. But he said nothing of course.

Sakura smiled nevertheless, knowingly, rosiness still adorning her cheeks. "You know, you don´t need to be all that nice to me. It´s because I healed you that day, isn´t it?" They started walking down the road, Sasuke leading.

"No. I´m just honest."

"If you say so. Then explain to me why I of all people look perfect to you and others beautiful?"

Sasuke thought for a little. Then shrugged, nonchalantly, eyes still on the road. "Not sure. Maybe it´s your clothes? Their colour? That you don´t have ten tons of make-up on your face? Take what sounds nicest to you."

"Alright", Sakura said, playfully clasping her hands on her back. "Then I take what I think and won´t tell you as you don´t intend to tell me." The man beside her smirked. There was a comfortable pause. "But to pay you back, you look as handsome as ever", the pinkette stated, sneaking a peek of Sasuke from the side. Said man only grunted, uninterested.

Sasuke wore a caramel-brown leather-jacket over a black long-sleeved T-shirt with a v-neck. The shirt and the equally black jeans were tight-fitting, and matched his all-black chucks. On his right wrist was his watch and a black thin leather-bracelet. His hair was like always, bangs slightly covering the left side of his face, his hair in the back standing out almost horizontal.

"Is that the only way you can compliment a man? Handsome?", Sasuke mimicked Sakura. The pinkette chuckled and they shared an amused look. Sakura held a finger up. "I said _as handsome as ever_. That means, I think you _always_ look handsome." Sasuke snorted, Sakura giggled. She couldn´t know that the man tried to supress the blood that was rushing up his head.

"So, where are we going?" The concentration was back on the road again.

"See that restaurant over there?" Sasuke nodded into a certain direction.

"Huh? Where?" Sasuke leaned closer to Sakura, pointing at the place with his finger. Sakura held her head higher, almost at the same level with Sasuke´s. "There."

"Ahh, now I see!", they stood straight again. Sakura´s perfume lingered still in Sasuke´s nose. "So, you eat your breakfast there?"

"I did. A few times."

"Ah. It´s funny. Although I live only a few blocks away, I never noticed it. That´s the disadvantage of working too much, I guess."

"I´ve been here only a few times. Since I work at the café, I´ve only visited here once with my brother."

Sakura´s eyebrows perked up, her eyes searching Sasuke´s. She suspected him having siblings, since he was a civilian. "You have a brother?"

Sasuke looked back at her, nodding. He never expected them talking about his brother of all people at the beginning of their date. Itachi wouldn´t wait to give a sarcastic remark about it, if the chance was given.

"Younger or older?"

"Older by five years. Want to eat outside?" Sakura smiled approvingly, and they took their seats by a table for two close to a tree near the restaurant. It wasn´t crowdy, nor too empty given the time. All in all, meaning it was as comfortable as a restaurant could get. Sasuke signalled for a waitress to bring them menu cards. Sakura, of course, didn´t miss the way the girl looked at the man in front of her.

"I think she likes you."

Pulled out of his musings whether to try the spicy wrap or the one with extra cheese or a combination of them, Sasuke looked up to raise a questioning eyebrow at the pinkette. Sakura leaned forward to rest her head on her palms, smiling sweetly and amused. She knew to keep her voice quiet. "You know, for a charming, handsome man you can be pretty blind sometimes. I mean the waitress who brought us the cards." Sakura nodded towards the said waitress. She was serving some other couple. Sasuke rolled his eyes, looking uninterested. He didn´t bother to turn around. "Ha!", Sakura giggled. "So you did notice!" – "Doesn´t it bother you, you know, since you are my _date_?", Sasuke remarked sarcastically. Sakura tilted her head to the side, eyes flattering, still smiling. "Am I now?" It was situations like these, putting the man in a state of blackout. Normally, he would reach forward, holding the girl´s hands, caressing her cheek, or simply let the tips of his fingers at least touch any skin of her lightly, softly and sweetly. Then he would give a smug answer that´d made her swoon over him.

But this was Sakura. Thus he couldn´t handle her like any other woman. Simple as that. Oh, she was reachable, being only about an armlength away from him. But Sasuke couldn´t figure out _why_ he still felt that it wasn´t the right thing, the right _way_ to approach her. It was as if Sakura was too precious to him, too fragile, too important. He couldn´t treat her like any other person, she deserved better. It wasn´t _fair_.

And, of course, there was the reminder about the conversation about relationships between ninjas and civilians. She only agreed to go on a _friendly_ walk through the village, to bypass the boredom of a lonely free day from work. Friends.

Nothing more.

* * *

A blond man emerged out of a bathroom with a towel around his waist. Bruises of all colours were visible on his body, remnants of a bar fight a few days ago.

Naruto gave something between a loud sigh and groan out and scratched his head. He was hungry, his body hurt, and he had to show up at the café at three pm to take over Sasuke´s shift. _Sasuke …_

 _I hope you´re enjoying your date, bastard._

He went to the kitchen. There was a ramen-cup standing on the counter. He didn't hesitate to throw it in the microwave to warm it up. Sitting down on a chair nearby, he looked at his frog-shaped kitchen clock.

 _10:24 am._

He sighed. There were about four hours left before he had to work. He really didn´t feel like going. But this was Sasuke, his best friend. He needed to back him up.

 _For Sasuke._

It wasn´t really a motivating thought.

 _For Itachi-nii-san then._

Better.

 _For Mikoto-baa-chan._

Way better.

He grinned but his face scrunched up in pain before he could even hold it for a few seconds. His teeth hurt the worst.

Naruto decided to pay the hospital a visit again. He could at least get a strong painkiller from there.

His mood soured. _Hope those shitty ninjas won´t be around there this time around …_

The microwave signalled for Naruto that his ramen was ready with a ´bing´.

Naruto smiled a little, not to try the patience of his hurting bruises.

 _At least my ramen always stick with me, dattebayo!_

* * *

…

 _"_ _Doesn´t it bother you, you know, since you are_ my date _?"_

" _Am I now?"_

"Have you decided on what you want to eat, yet?"

It was the first time ever that Sasuke was relieved to have someone chime in a conversation between him and his date. If not for the waitress, he would have given a lame excuse for a call of nature only to avoid answering Sakura´s question.

"I´ll take number forty-seven."

"I´d like to have the waffle with strawberries."

"Would you like anything to drink?"

The waitress didn´t bother to look in Sakura´s direction. Sakura rolled her eyes at that, giving Sasuke an amused look. _See?_

"Green tea and a _Sweet Capuchin_ ", Sasuke looked at the waitress for the first time since they arrived, intensely, " _for my date."_ His eyes held a fierce look, looking darker than usual. The waitress flinched, suddenly taking a step back. She bowed murmuring something unintelligible and walked away.

Hadn´t Sasuke turned away, he would have noticed the sudden spark in Sakura´s eyes and a quiet gasp escaping her mouth. She didn't understand why it surprised her, startled her that much. Not to mention the way a very minimal cold sensation that gave her goose bumps all over her naked arms spread out. Maybe it was the way Sasuke talked so earnestly, so honestly? It was something she admired about him anyways, since day one.

When Sasuke looked back at her, she tried her best to hold his strong and intense stare. When he raised an eyebrow in question of her odd behaviour, she stood up and excused herself for a walk to the restroom.

Sasuke watched her go, without making her notice. He sat there, hands firmly spread out on the table, contemplating about what happened.

 _Is she just weird or did I do something wrong?_

* * *

When Sakura came back, their order was already neatly placed on their table.

"Are you alright?", Sasuke asked, trying to sound not too concerned.

Back in the restroom, Sakura breathed in and out, deeply and slowly, trying to calm down. She checked herself in the mirror, to distract herself. She didn´t want to give her nervousness too much thought. It could have been anything that had upset her. She even considered a panic attack. Being a ninja, she was used to them, hitting her from time to time. The last one was only a month back.

In the end, she settled to blame it on the lack of a decent breakfast. She was awake for more than two hours now, and put a lot of energy in her appearance before Sasuke came to pick her up. That must have been it.

"Sure." Sakura sat down, pulling her chair forward. "I didn´t eat this morning, but spent hours to get ready, you know. Must be a little tired." She eyed her waffle and smiled childishly. "But with this breakfast I´ll be good in a few minutes so don´t worry." She made a dismissive gesture, winking and smiling at Sasuke. He nodded and accepted her excuse. He wasn´t one to prod around too much, anyways.

They started eating, Sakura soon praising Sasuke´s choice of restaurant and starting conversation again.

"Never thought you´d be the tea type." Sakura nodded to his cup, putting a strawberry in her mouth.

Sasuke snorted amused, smirking. He waited for the question. "Only because I work in a café, it doesn´t mean that I like coffee."

Sakura let her fork fall on her plate, mouth a agape. Sasuke chuckled deeply. She was way too childish and predictable for her age, and Sasuke found it ridiculously cute.

"No way! You _don´t_ like coffee?!"

"Nope." He still smirked.

"But …" Sakura stayed still for a second, to let the information sink in. It allowed her to switch from exaggerated girl to ladylike woman. She crossed her legs and leaned forward, holding her head with her left back-hand, her right hand in her lap. It was a sign that something caught her interest, Sasuke mused. "This is really ironic", she said. "I dare say you make the best coffee in whole Konoha. How can you dislike coffee?"

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. "I don´t know. I just have a different taste than others."

"Not even dark coffee? I mean, you like spicy things, like strong tastes." Sakura pointed at Sasuke´s wrap.

"No. But I like tea."

Sakura smiled, playfully. "Is there anything else I should know about your _taste_?"

Sasuke thought a little before answering. "I don´t like sweet things. Before you ask; no, not even chocolate, or _dark_ chocolate."

Sakura giggled to herself. "That´s impossible. Everyone likes chocolate. It almost has a drug-effect."

"Hn. Well, I don´t."

"You sure about that drug thing, though?" Sakura raised her eyebrows. Sasuke only scowled at her, clearly annoyed. "You won´t let me live down on that, will you?"

Sakura gave him her sweetest smile before taking a mouth full of strawberries, waffle and cream, giving him her most innocent look.

It was the utmost cutest thing Sasuke has ever seen.

* * *

 _11:16 am._

Naruto sighed. It was the right decision to come early. The hospital was a full mess of waiting patients, as always. Maybe even more than usual, he mused.

There were little children, crying, sniffling, shouting, with red faces. Some old people, too, coughing or holding their bandaged limbs. He even caught sight of a pregnant woman, sitting next to her possible husband or boyfriend. There was every type of human around. Except for nurses or doctors.

It really pissed him off.

About then minutes ago a nurse came by, claiming that a troupe of some ninja was ambushed and tended to at the moment. The majority of the stuff dealt with it, leading to longer waiting time than usual.

He sighed again.

Suddenly, he heard a whimper from the left. It was the pregnant woman. She clutched at her swollen womb, even tighter with every passing second. All people in the waiting room tensed when her first moan came.

"Someone get a doctor already!", one of the old women shouted.

"On it, dattebayo!", Naruto shouted back. "Don´t worry miss, I´ll get you the best doctor in a second! Just, uh, tell the baby not to come to early!"

With that, and astonished agape expressions from the people around him, Naruto ran off to find the next nurse he saw. He approached one, after the third floor he left behind.

"Miss Nurse-lady!" Naruto stopped to stand directly in front of her. The nurse let out a quiet gasp.

"Ah, be more silent, will you?! This is a hospital!", she hissed.

Naruto scratched his head, awkwardly. "Uh, sorry."

"Can I help you?"

"Huh? OH, yes! There is a baby coming back in the waiting room over there!" He pointed in the direction he came from. "There´s a pregnant woman with a really big belly! She clutched at it and moaned an-"

"What are we waiting for then?!" The nurse ran to the said waiting room. This time, _she_ shouted. "Go to the reception and demand for a doctor, immediately!"

"GOT IT!" And Naruto ran.

* * *

 _11.19 am._

They spent nearly a comfortable whole hour in the restaurant, talking most of the time. Both would be surprised how well they went along together, if they noticed, of course, being too much occupied and drawn in the conversation and getting to know each other.

Sakura learned that Sasuke lived with his brother Itachi and their dog Shiro in an apartment near a meadow that was placed on the north side of the inner city. Sasuke claimed that Itachi visited him sometimes in the café, but Sakura didn´t know who he meant. She also learned that Sasuke worked twice a month in a club on weekends behind the bar to earn extra money. He liked to wear dark and comfortable clothes from specific labels, dogs and cats, martial-arts movies and rock music. He disliked waking up in the morning (to which Sakura awkwardly apologized for making him pick her up at ten am), cold meals, rushing things and maths.

Sasuke learned that Sakura lived alone in her apartment and was an exceptional intelligent and skilful woman. She was the best ninja of her generation and stood her ground on her own, since she learned to take care of herself at an early age (Sasuke heard rumours about her being orphaned when she was little so he didn´t press the subject). She liked reading, spending time with friends (if she has the time), anything related to medicine, sparring and the colour red. To which she asked Sasuke if he liked her dress, it being all red. "Sure", he said. _Oh, I like red on you alright,_ he thought. She disliked narrow-minded people, snakes (he couldn´t know the reason of course), cold weather and anything spicy.

It turned out that they had nothing fully in common, only partly. Nothing but the interest in each other which came from the unfamiliar ground they stepped on.

Sasuke suggested to take a walk in the greener places, leading their way to the Konoha Gardens. Sakura happily agreed and followed. She immediately noticed that they walked through the silent parts, where not many people passed them.

"You´re more the silent type, aren´t you?" Sakura started, looking at the man beside her. "I noticed that you kind of avoid crowded places."

"Could be. Just try to keep my privacy." – "Must be pretty unnerving to you then, since I ask you so many questions, ne?", Sakura nudged him playfully with her elbow. "If you think that way, why do you ask then?" – "I have the feeling that you don´t mind my presence. I even have the slightest hope that you like our conversations." – Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "How come?" – "You give me sarcastic remarks, joke sometimes, and you ask back. But that aside, how do you do your eyebrows?" Sasuke was obviously taken aback by that question. He knitted his eyebrows together. " _What?"_

"They look so perfectly trimmed. How do you do that?"

 _This girl is impossible sometimes._ Sasuke´s eye twitched. He would never, ever trim his eyebrows. It was against his manly pride. "I don´t do anything with them."

"Oh, then you go to a special barber, don´t you? Which one is it?" Sakura came closer to Sasuke, a sheepish look on her face. Sasuke leaned back, since the situation made him uncomfortable. Sakura whispered, "Come on, you can tell me. I won´t tell anyone else, pinky promise!" She held her little finger out. Sasuke increased his walking pace, to dodge her attempt to come closer. "I already said I don´t do anything with them. I only go to barbers for a haircut."

"No way!" Sakura didn´t try to hide her astonishment. She hurried after Sasuke to walk beside him again. "What kind of genes are yours? You look like some prince out of a story book!" – "I look like any other man." – "No, you don´t. You´d be a natural miracle if what you say is true." Sasuke smirked, looking intensely in her eyes. "A natural miracle, huh? I like that." Sakura pouted. "You´re quite smug if you want to." – "Let´s sit down there."

They approached a bench with a full view of the river. Sasuke sat on the left side, Sakura on the right. Their backs were facing the road, leaving them some privacy. They made themselves comfortable, with Sasuke crossing his arms and his outstretched legs, and Sakura taking off her heels and massaging her ankles. "You know", she started. "Sometimes you are a real gentleman, and sometimes you can be the demanding, dominant kind of men." – "A woman wants both." Sakura´s ears perked up at that. She sat straight and lifted her legs on the bench, folding them, her left leg kept under her right. Looking directly at him, she gave him her full attention. "How come?"

Sasuke looked back at Sakura. "Imagine there is a guy who holds you high like his princess all the time. Complimenting you every few minutes, buying you gifts every day. He would follow you around like a fool. Would you truly want that?" Sakura thought about it, then disgustedly shook her head. "It would be weird." – "Then imagine someone who is never grateful, who commands you around and only wants something from you, but never giving something back." – "I´d punch his face", Sakura said without hesitation. Sasuke smirked. "That´s why you need both. For balance. It´s better for the both people in a relationship." – "How is it better for the man than being all dominating and getting what he wants?" – "It takes two people to be in a relationship. If the man is all dominant, the woman will be unsatisfied and won´t give him anything by her own will, so she won´t give him her best. If the man is too generous, the woman won´t bother to give him something back as well because she´ll take him for granted. Both scenarios go vice versa. They wouldn´t be happy, because there is either too much or too little." They looked deeply at each other for a moment before Sakura began speaking again.

"That´s too rational."

"Huh?"

Sakura looked to the river, thoughtfully. Sasuke let his gaze linger on her face.

"Just listen to yourself. It´s like you talk about politics or a business treatment. There is something you miss out. The most important thing."

"Which is?"

Sakura looked back at him, smiling honestly.

"Love."

Sasuke didn´t answer to that, giving Sakura space to elaborate.

"I think if someone really loves somebody, he or she wouldn´t mind the bad behaviour or quirks of their partner."

"That´s not how real life works."

"You can´t understand because you are a man."

Sasuke snorted. "So, you say if there is someone you love, you will endure every bad thing he does?"

Sakura didn´t need to think about that. "Of course."

"Even if he hurts you?"

"You don´t understand, dummy." Sakura turned around a little, to face Sasuke better. "It´s not about what I get back in return. It´s about what I already feel for the person." Sakura rested her arm on the back of the bench. "If someone really loves somebody, the person would do everything to get their love onto the right track. They would endure so long as it takes for their partner to love them back."

"And if that person doesn´t receive love in return?" _Like it is with me? Like it is with …_ them _?_

Sakura thought again, staring into the distance. "I don´t know."

Sasuke nodded, expecting such an answer.

"But I know what I´d do."

"You do?"

"Yes." Sakura smiled at Sasuke, so honest, innocent and naïve it was breath-taking for him. "I´d wish for that person to find their happiness. And I´d help them with it."

Sasuke didn´t know what to say to that. On the one hand, he felt guilty for being such an egoist dork, on the other hand, he felt embarrassed because she hit a point there. The only reason _he_ sat there next to her she explained herself just now.

"If you think about it, there is a little egoism in there as well", Sakura went on. "I´d make that person happy because then I´d be happy, too." Sakura chuckled at her own insight. "But you are right, too, when it comes to serious relationships. I mean, I´d wish for mine to be balanced and … kind of tender like that, too. I want someone who can stand their ground but cares for me deeply enough to show me their love sometimes. And honestly", she laughed at her own silliness. "I´m not a fan of receiving flowers every day." Sakura scratched the back of her head, sheepishly, as if knowing what she talked about.

"Is he giving them to you?"

"Huh?"

"The guy I replaced today."

Sakura looked irritated, then angry. "Don´t you dare think about yourself as a replacement. I really like you. I don´t know why but I feel like we´re meant to be friends." She punched him playfully on his shoulder, lightly, smiling again. "But no. There was some guy who tried to impress me for a long time."

"But you didn´t like him?"

"He was nice. But there was nothing more than friendly feelings from my side." Sakura smiled more sweetly. "That´s what I mean. You´re like my manly girl-buddy! I can´t believe I talked to some guy I barely know about relationships."

"Manly girl-buddy? Seriously?"

"What? Am I hurting your _manly_ pride or what?"

"It sounds like you want me to grow breasts."

Sakura burst out laughing. Sasuke chuckled to himself.

 _" …_ _I´d wish for that person to find their happiness. And I´d help them with it. … "_

 _I think we´re even then._

* * *

Naruto bounced on his feet. He _hated_ to wait for things. About three minutes ago, the nurse by the reception ordered for him to wait. She, herself, tried to reach doctors by calling them on the phone, but no one answered. After that, she ran off herself, frustrated, and told him to wait.

And he waited.

But _time was running_!

He sighed and looked into the different corridors, feeling like a lost chicken. He looked and looked, but no one was around.

 _What kind of an attack was that?! There is absolutely no stuff around!_

Suddenly, he heard rushing footsteps coming in his direction. He saw the nurse from before, with a doctor behind her. The doctor had her black hair tied back in a bun and a mouthpiece on her face. But the first thing Naruto noticed about her were her _white eyes_. They held no pupils.

 _How weird._

"This is doctor Hyuuga. Take her to the patient, will you?"

"I´m on it!"

Without second thought, Naruto grabbed the doctor by her wirst and dragged her to the waiting room. He couldn´t remember how long it took them to arrive there when he found them standing in the middle of it. The people around them showed them the operating room the expecting couple and the nurse from before were in. The doctor nodded and hurried to go, but came to a stop when she still felt Naruto´s hold on her wrist. Naruto felt the sudden pull, too, then immediately let go and scratched his head sheepishly, saying, "Sorry."

The nurse looked at him for two more seconds, her expression blank, before she walked into the operating room.

It was Naruto´s time to gaze after her, this time.

* * *

 _Fin._


	7. The Date - 2

_**For A Cup Of Caramella**_

* * *

 _Chapter 7_

 _"The Date - 2"_

* * *

 _12:03 pm_.

They started walking again, alongside the river on the grass. Sakura took off her shoes and enjoyed the cold green plants under her feet and between her toes, holding her heels in one hand. The cold sensation under her feet were a nice counterpart to the warmth of sunshine at noon. Sasuke´s hands were stowed away in his pockets. Sakura wondered if it wasn´t too warm under Sasuke´s leather jacket. They held a slow, swaying pace, enjoying each other´s presence.

"Sasuke. I want to ask you something. But I demand of you to answer me honestly or to not answer me and let it be."

Said man raised his eyebrow at her, his attention visible.

"How much are you … involved with women?"

Sasuke choked on his own spit before clearing his throat and trying to supress the blood rushing up his neck. Was this woman making him uncomfortable on purpose? "What … kind of a question is that?"

Sakura only shrugged her shoulders, looking thoughtfully to the ground. "It´s just that … I really don´t want to judge you. I´m sorry, I don´t want to make you uncomfortable." Sakura looked at him, her eyes formed in a little worry. "I just wonder … I mean …" Sakura looked away, her cheeks a little blushing. How to tell him in the politest of ways?

"What is it?"

Sakura sighed. "As you say. Alright." She looked at him again, more confident. "I´ll give you a picture I made of you in my head. You´re extraordinarily handsome. You obviously know how to handle women and have a good eye for them. I mean, back when we had breakfast, you knew perfectly how to ignore and shoo that waitress away. And you absolutely know how to make a woman flustered and swoon over you. Not to forget what you said to me about relationships before. I mean … You kinda seem like a …" Sakura tried her best to find a better word but nothing came to mind. However, Sasuke knew how she primarily wanted to end her sentence.

"… womanizer? Playboy?", he said.

Sakura immediately turned towards him, cheeks flushed. She looked way too innocent. "What? No!"

Sasuke chuckled and waved her concernment off. "I don´t blame you for thinking about me that way. And …", he smirked flatteringly at her. "… if you believe yourself, you should have known that I knew right away what´s on your mind." Sakura opened her mouth, then closed it in embarrassment.

Sasuke sighed. "You have the right to ask. I don´t look like a reliable person, do I?" Hesitating and looking him over a little, Sakura smiled apologetically. "I wouldn´t say not reliable. You´re an honest person I think, but you look quite like a bad boy. Like you´re sometimes … up to do … unorthodox or dangerous things? I mean, we already had that drug incident, you know?" – "For the damn last time, it was a _painkiller_." – "What kind of a painkiller was _that_?! You were totally high!"

Sasuke embarrassedly turned his head away and crossed his arms. With nothing else than fascination did Sakura observe that he looked like a scowling child. _Is he … pouting?_

"I … got it from the black market", he murmured, reluctantly.

Sakura sweatdropped, her mouth making a thin line. "Talking about bad boys and such ..."

"Tch. You don´t know anything about me."

"Then talk", Sakura made an inviting gesture. "I´m all ears."

The man sighed again. He hesitated at first, but something, just something about this woman made him open his heart to her, to trust her. And, she would find out sooner or later anyways. "I had a rough childhood." – "Which means?" Sasuke sighed aloud. Seems she wants to bother him today. "You know those dysfunctional families that are main characters in cheap dramas?" Sakura nodded. Everyone who had connected TV or internet somehow watched them at least once. People in those series were all stereotyped, which made her understand what exactly he was getting at. "Believe it or not, my family was just that way. We were poor, mom and dad were working all day, leaving my brother and me behind. Itachi had to watch out for me, babysitting me. He was the prodigy, intelligent child every parent wishes for." Sasuke looked to the ground, his hands buried in his pockets. "And you?", Sakura chimed in. Sasuke suddenly flinched, pulled out of his memories. The pinkette noticed it immediately, observing him as close as she could.

There were skin folds in the area above his perfect eyes now. Worry, regret, unpleasant shadows evident under his bangs. Sakura knew she was prodding him to some uncomfortable places in his mind, but she had the right to know, as he said earlier. And she wanted to know with whom she befriended with. They saw each other almost every day when she visited the café, but of course she couldn´t know what was hidden in him.

"I", Sasuke began, sighing deeply, "was the child who got himself the wrong social circle, like wrong friends, who had all their own problems to deal with. When I started in middle school, Itachi was about to leave it. He had to study more intensely, and given our financial situation, he, as the oldest child, helped father with his work. Mom worked a lot, too, so I was alone the whole time. Even if they didn´t fully believe it, they thought I could take care of myself. Because there was no other choice." Sasuke sighed deeply again, not daring to look Sakura in the eyes. Because he didn´t want to see her pitying face or the fact that he told the only woman he was really interested in heard for the first time how kind of a screwed person he was, he didn´t know. Maybe it was both. Sakura, on the other hand, tried to sympathize with him, to put herself in his shoes. She tried to catch his thoughts, his feelings.

"That´s about it, actually. From then on there was too much alcohol, too much partying and streetfighting … too many …"

"Girls?"

Sasuke gulped. Past flings weren´t things he talked about with many people, let alone females. He gave an uncertain shrug and nod.

"Did no one notice?", Sakura asked. The thing about girls made her uneasy and stiff with fury, somehow. Especially that nonchalant attitude from Sasuke. _Men!_

Sasuke shook his head, happy to move away from that topic. "Itachi was in university then. And my parents worked, like always." Sasuke paused, to gather his thoughts. He grew more uncomfortable the more he talked. It was his posture that showed Sakura everything, even if he did his best to hide it. "A few weeks after my fifteenth birthday …" Sasuke did a long break there. Sakura saw that he was internally struggling whether to tell her or not. That´s why she didn´t say anything. It was his choice. "… I´m sorry. I … need a second." – "Of course." Sakura took a few steps back, so that Sasuke´s front was out of her sight. She didn´t miss the way his voice cracked. He adjusted himself, rolling and stretching his shoulders, necks and arms. Sakura could hear a faint sniffling sound. Was he about to cry? Sakura bit down on her lip. She really didn´t want to put him into a situation like this. _Poor guy_ , she thought. _This is so not the way a date should go_.

"Sasuke, listen …"

"Sorry." He turned around. His eyes were slightly red. "This is … not easy for me."

Sakura nodded. "You don´t need to tell me."

Sasuke looked at her, contemplating again. They stayed like that for a few moments. _I want to tell you. Especially you. But I fear what you might think about me, after_.

"I told you everything except for the most important part of the story. I wouldn´t be quite the good storyteller if I cut a cliffhanger here." Sasuke gave Sakura a crooked smirk, who let out a huffed laugh while tilting her head downwards, closing her eyes. She shook her head, then opened her eyes to look at Sasuke again with a crooked smile herself.

 _" …_ _I may be a civilian, who doesn´t know any of this ninja-stuff, but I´m still no weak man. I´ve went through a lot of shit myself, bad shit, but I´m not a wreck because of it. I survived. So don´t you dare go easy on me. … "_

"Alright. But be aware. _I won´t go easy on you_." Sasuke seemed taken aback by what Sakura said. _So you remember …_

It was then that an indescribable, wonderful moment occurred. A moment only shared by those two, with all its intensity. They were maybe five feet apart, standing in front of each other, facing each other. It was a moment and a sight etched into Sakura´s memory. Forever.

There was a reason Sakura smiled at him in that moment. She was proud of her friend, of his courage, his strength. And it wasn´t a new thing, for she smiled at him most times.

But when _he_ smiled back, with that smile she has never seen on him, she forgot to breathe for the slightest moment. Sasuke _did_ smile back at her before, but never with such an intensity of utter _gratitude_ she has never seen of him before. His eyes sparkled, with laugh crinkles at the edges of his eyes. Screw handsome, this Sasuke was beautiful, _wonderful_.

"… Thank you."

 _Perfect_.

Yes, it was this Sasuke she liked the most, Sakura decided.

* * *

 _12:39 pm_.

Naruto cringed when he heard another helpless cry coming from the operating room. Who could blame him? It was the first time he was witnessing a woman giving birth, even if she only lay in the next room.

He made a face when he remembered his own mother.

 _Poor mom. I swear, I´m going to give you the best present on mother´s day next year, dattebayo!_

"Don´t be a wimp, boy", came the voice of the old lady sitting next to him. She was the one who commanded him to get a doctor about an hour ago. "Women are strong. It´s only a matter of time until the baby will be born. Get your wits together."

Naruto sheepishly scratched his head. "Sorry, grandma. It´s just … it sounds so painful."

"Oh, it is, wimp." The old lady poked Naruto´s leg with her walking cane. "Imagine pooping a rock as large as an average rockmelon."

The people in the waiting room gasped aloud, mothers and fathers clasping their childrens´ ears with their hands. Naruto looked dumbfounded before making a disgusted face. He chuckled nervously. "Uh, you´re a tough one, granny." The lady hit his leg with her cane, making him flinch in pain. "OW!" – "Don´t laugh at a woman´s pain! Don´t forget that you men are responsible for that!"

Naruto rubbed his hurting leg. "Yes, yes." The old lady nodded contently, leaning on her cane with both her hands.

Another painful cry could be heard.

"Damnit", Naruto muttered. Then he declared proudly, "I swear, if my future girlfriend or wife will give birth one day, I´m going to buy her a set of jewellery of her choice without complaining, dattebayo!"

The old lady gave Naruto a appreciating smirk.

"You´re not that bad as you look, wimp."

* * *

"So, when I was fifteen …", Sasuke started where he ended before. They were sitting on a bench again. If someone had watched them closely, they would have noticed that they sat the slightest bit closer than before. "… there was an …" Sakura´s face saddened, but she didn´t interrupt. Especially after Sasuke sighed deeply. Clearly there was something he wanted to keep a secret. "… Something happened and I … they found out about what I´ve been doing. I was forced to rehabilitation. I´ve spent a little more than a year there. When I got out, my brother already rent an apartment. He offered me to stay there with him. We´ve been living there together since." – "What about your parents?" – "What about them?" – "Why didn´t you stay with them?"

Sasuke´s face darkened. He sighed again and again. Sakura wondered what that something from before was that made him so desperate. "I … didn´t dare to look them in the eyes. My brother, too, but he demanded of me to at least stay with him. Mom visits us sometimes. I go see her few times as well, on holidays and such. But … I´m not on good terms with dad, to put it lightly." Sigh. Sasuke´s voice cracked by then. _I´ve never even got the chance to apologize to him_.

When a long silence followed, Sakura spoke up. "I´m sorry I made you go through all that again." Her face looked pained. "I´m talking too much before thinking."

Sasuke closed his eyes, to relax himself. "It´s alright. I need a reminder sometimes." _To remember not to fall back again._ "It´s strange how easily people forget things."

Silence.

"So", Sakura started, trying to lighten up the mood. "Is that about the time you started working in the café?" Sasuke smirked and nodded. _There you go, girl_ , Sakura thought.

"While I was in rehab and after that, Naruto never stopped supporting me. By the time I started living with Itachi, he finished school with very low marks. His mother was furious …" Sasuke visibly shivered, to which the pinkette raised an eyebrow. "… and ordered him to find a job to finance his school costs so he could take the exams again or he would be thrown out." Sakura laughed. She could imagine Naruto freaking out just the way he would. "Poor Naruto …" – "Tch. Don´t worry. That bastard is always struck by luck in the worst times." Sakura chuckled. The banter between those two amused her to no end. "One day, when Naruto visited us, Itachi´s friend was at our place, too. He heard from another friend that there would be a café opening soon and that they needed some employees." Sasuke shrugged. "That´s about it. Naruto dragged me along for the job interview. I was asked if I wanted to work there, too. Since I didn´t have plans that time, I agreed anyway." Those words were followed by a long silence for both of them to keep their private thoughts to themselves.

"I´m really happy that things turned out well for you, Sasuke-kun."

"Not all of them."

Sakura nodded her head. For one, there must have been other things he needed to work out, but the contentment on Sasuke´s side was visible. At least that´s the impression she had.

 _13:26 pm._

Sasuke considered the time. The walk from their location to the inner city lasted about half an hour. They only needed to follow the direction of the river.

"Want to keep on walking?"

Sakura nodded her head. "I wanted to ask you the same thing."

"Hn."

This time, Sakura put her shoes on to walk on the road next to the river. They held a comfortable pace.

"So", Sakura began talking. "I interrogated you enough about your life. Want to ask me a few things, too?" Jade eyes sparkled playfully.

Sasuke thought for a little, then shrugged. "At least I don´t need to talk then and can pretend listening to you." When he felt a slap on his shoulder, he knew to nod and not to talk.

"Where do I start?", the pinkette murmured to herself, putting a finger to her lips. "Hmmm."

Someone became impatient because of the following silence.

"Just start with your birthday and keep talking."

"Alright", Sakura shrugged. "I was born on March twenty-eight to Mebuki and Kizashi Haruno. I went to kindergarten, then to Konoha Ninja Academy. I made my best friends there. Ten Ten and Hinata. Mmmmmh. Ah, next, when I was eight years-old, my parents got killed on a mission. After that I lived on my own and-"

"How can you talk about their deaths as if you´re reciting from a story book?" Given the situation, it wasn´t hard to understand why Sasuke made a face at that. He prepared some soothing words in his head, for the worst, like her starting crying out loud or at least getting sad and depressed a little. He was, well, dumbfounded, to say the least.

"It´s been over ten years already."

"…"

"Sasuke-"

"Don´t bottle up your feelings. They´ll come out even worse when the bottle is full and everything comes out at once."

It was Sakura´s time to sigh now. "My pain dulled, Sasuke-kun. It wasn´t easy in the beginning. And I was a child then. It´s easier to forget things at that age. Of course, I become sad when I think about them nowadays, but I remind myself that they died for the village, for the people in it. To protect them." Sakura stood straight, confidently. She didn´t blinked once while looking into Sasuke´s eyes. "Instead of mourning over their death, I see their sacrifice as a motivation, as a goal for myself. I want to be the one who follows their legacy, to give their deaths a meaning. I will work like my parents, to become an honoured kunoichi who serves her citizens." It was then that Sakura grinned, with all her happiness and determination. She reminded Sasuke of Naruto a little. "That´s why I want to become Hokage one day!" She held her fist out, ready for a fight.

"I´m not sure if you should."

Sakura´s grin cracked. Her eyes twitched. "What?!"

Sasuke smirked. That devilish smirk. "I can´t bring myself to call you Sakura-sama one day." To underline his point, he playfully ruffled her head and poked her cheek before hurriedly walking forward.

"Sasuke!" Sakura hurried after him, trying to redo her hair. "I put a lot effort in making my hair looking nice for you, just so you know, you jerk!" She puffed her cheeks out, which were red by the way.

"Can´t help it. You´re easy to tease."

"I´m easy to crunch you with my pinky, mister."

"Sure."

Holding her hand in front of him, she made him stop midway in taking another step forward. She made him follow her through the forest to an abandoned willow. She crouched down next to him, her littlest finger pointing to the ground. Sasuke lifted an eyebrow at her raised, smirking head.

Her … _pinky_ touched the ground and … Sasuke found himself falling suddenly. He gasped but came to a stand after he fell about one meter downward. It was Sakura who looked down at him this time. He looked dumbfounded. She smirked.

"You know", the proud pinkette said. "I´m not sure if you should keep standing there. I can´t bring myself calling you Sasuke-chan. Since, you know, you look like a lost child to me right now. Or puppy. Or both", she said, ruffling his hair and poking his cheek from above.

She turned around to walk towards the road they left back, grinning victoriously and wondering how his hair could feel so soft and like silk at the same time.

* * *

Naruto did everything to keep himself from groaning out loud. The reason might or might not be that the old lady kept her cane handy.

 _14:02 pm._

His shift started in less than an hour and there were still too many patients around. About half an hour ago, finally, two doctors came around to tend to the waiting patients. They informed the people that the group of ninja were mostly healed, and that things in the hospital turned back to normal slowly.

Nevertheless, the waiting time was as long as always.

A loud cry.

Oh, and the baby still had to be born.

Naruto learned from the talk of the other doctors that the doctor with those weird white eyes was named _Hyuuga Hinata_. He could swear he heard that last name somewhere. He just couldn´t remember.

 _Maybe I wrote that name on a coffee cup sometime?_ , he wondered.

"Lady Chiyo?"

Naruto watched the old lady with the cane standing up and slowly walking to the nurse who called her name. He saw it as a chance and stood up to stand in front of the nurse before the old lady could.

"Hey, uh, wanted to ask if you could prescribe me a strong painkiller? I just came here for that and have to go to work in less than an hou-OWWWW!" Old lady Chiyo smacked him with her cane on the head before Naruto could finish his sentence.

"Respect your elders, wimp! That nurse called me, or is your name Chiyo as well?"

"N-no, granny, but I really need-"

"You´ll get what you need if it is your turn! Now, out of my way or I´ll hit you somewhere really painful for men!"

Naruto winced, paled, and sat down on his seat, all the while looking like a beaten puppy.

* * *

When they walked side by side again, Sakura was still grinning like a proud child.

"How", Sasuke started, with a lot more respect in his voice now. "did you do that?"

"It´s my awesome ninja-skills."

"Yeah, I know that." He didn´t comment on her smugness, though. He was too … cautious now. "But, _how_?"

"I have a natural talent on controlling chakra." Sakura let her hand glow green in front of Sasuke.

"It´s the same when you healed my headache. When we were talking on that bench near the café."

"Yup. It is. This green glow", Sakura looked at her own hand. "is my chakra signature."

"And what is this … _chakra_?"

"It´s hard to explain, really." Sakura put a finger to her mouth, clearly searching for the right words. "It´s like … the energy that flows through nature."

"Does that mean", Sasuke looked at his own hands, "that I have something like that, too?"

"Of course. It is only a matter of control, if you want to use it."

"Hn. So I can learn how to control it?"

"Well", Sakura didn´t want to offend him. It was very hard to control chakra, even if you were a ninja. "With the right training."

"What can you do with chakra?" Sasuke looked directly at her. His interest was definitely awakened.

It was hard for Sakura to answer those questions. Her chakra was something that was common in her life, like breathing. It was weird to explain it.

"You can crush the ground by assimilating enough of it in your limbs and letting it out all at once. You can heal people. You can use jutsu-"

" _Jutsu_?"

"That´s like … some martial arts … or attacks for fighting."

"I once saw someone duplicating himself. Is that a jutsu?"

"Ah, cloning. Yes, it is." Sakura made different handsigns and somehow a second Sakura stood next to her. "That was Kagebunshin-no-Jutsu. This is my shadow clone." Sakura pointed at her clone.

Sasuke´s eyes shined in bewilderment. He poked the clone on her forearm. "She feels … normal."

Both Sakuras chuckled. Really, she found it cute how Sasuke reacted at something so common to her. Her clone must have thought the same, as it made handsigns, but different ones than before. There was a little smoke, and in front of Sasuke … stood another Sasuke.

"What the…" Sasuke´s astonishment was evident in his whole expression. "He … You can transform into other people." It wasn´t a question anymore. Only realizations.

"Ah", clone-Sasuke said, then vanished in smoke. _He even sounds like me_.

"Awesome, huh?" Sasuke only looked at Sakura as if he saw her for the first time. He has seen other ninja doing stuff like that a few times before, but not so close and live.

"Let´s walk. Or you´re going to become a dead statue if you don´t move warmth in your limbs. Actually, you´d be a nice statue if you ask me." Sakura pulled Sasuke forward, then let loose when he started walking again.

"You said you have a knack for controlling chakra."

"Yup. I´m pretty good at controlling it. That´s why I´m so successful with being a ninja, I guess."

"Were you top of your class then?"

Sakura scratched her head, embarrassed. "Well…"

"No false modesty."

"Uh … then, yes? Maybe?"

Sasuke nodded blankly. "You can be proud of yourself. I wish I paid more attention to school when I was younger."

"You sound like you´re like … thirty or something." Sakura pouted. "You still can repeat exams if you want. I mean, you´re like, eighteen or something, right?"

"Nineteen."

"Oh, like me then. See? You´re still young."

"I can deal with exams. But not the high costs that come with it. Repeating them is damn expensive."

"Oh, I see." _There was this thing about buying someone something._

 _" …_ _I have to … buy someone something I … accidently … took away. … "_

 _Wonder what that was about._ "Then try to get a scholar ship. Or a bursary."

"I tried. Bad is they can demand my school records and look through them. Well, and I told you what kind of a pupil I was …"

Sakura searched for anything to say … but she couldn´t find the right words. As she didn´t have the knowledge about how civilian school worked, she lacked the experience.

"There´s no reason to make such a face."

"Huh?" Sakura swiftly moved her head in Sasuke´s direction. He looked apologetically, almost.

Sasuke shrugged. "I´m just living on the path I´ve written for myself. I decided to value partying over school then, and I´m paying for the decisions I made."

"It sounds harsher than it should, when you say it like that."

Sasuke chuckled at Sakura´s pout. _Always way too innocent and naïve._

"And it´s not like I really dream about studying one day. I don´t even know what I want for my future to look like. Also, I´m still young, as you said. There´s a lot of things I can do still."

The pinkette smiled at him. It always threw her off how Sasuke knew to escape from social dilemmas. Like, putting her in good spirits.

Suddenly, they heard a loud cry coming from the road in front of them. They glanced at each other briefly, before Sakura stormed off to arrive on time for help, with Sasuke running after her.

* * *

"That´s it, dattebayo!"

Naruto was pissed to no end. It was 14:37 pm already, and there were still at least ten patients in line before him. He stood up and stomped in the direction of the exit when someone called after him.

"Hold on there, wimp!"

The blonde turned around, dumbfounded. "Eh? Granny?"

Lady Chiyo motioned for Naruto to come closer. But he only approached her slowly, clearly afraid of something.

"Be a man! No need to piss yourself because an old woman with a cane called you!"

Naruto gulped, but knew to shut his mouth. They were standing in front of each other. Chiyo held something out to him. "Take these and get out of my sight."

"Huh?"

Naruto looked astonished at the pills in her hand. _The painkillers!_

The whiskered man grinned from ear to ear like a fox and took the pills from Chiyo. "Thank you so much granny! I won´t forget this, dattebayo!"

"I told you to get out of my sight."

Naruto chuckled, still grinning. "Hey, granny. I work at a café nearby. It´s in front of a bench with a tree on it´s right. I´ll make you a nice coffee for free, how does it sound?"

"Tch, as if I have nothing else to do than visit a cheap café you wimp of all wimps work in." She shooed him away with her cane. "Get out of my sight already, for the third time!"

Naruto only grinned wider, saying goodbye.

* * *

 _Fin._


	8. The Date - 3

**_For A Cup Of Caramella_**

* * *

 _Chapter 8_

 _"The Date - 3"_

* * *

"Hey there, buddy! How much longer will it take? It´s only a coffee, man!"

"I´m on it, dattebayo!"

Hurrying behind the counter, Naruto tried to prepare three different coffees at a time without spilling something over. He walked from the coffee machine to the counter, back to the glass shelves and to the counter again. This was typical Friday-afternoon rushing. There were too many customers for his liking, and too less workers. With him and Yamanaka Ino, a long-time friend of Sasuke and Naruto, they were totally understaffed. People were rushing in and out, happy and in a hurry because the weekend was near.

"Naruto!", Ino said a little louder than usual. "Could you _please_ hurry a little more? The customers´re waiting!"

"I´m on it, I´m on it!"

Really, Naruto did his best he could.

The blonde man put a cup under the coffee machine and waited for the warm milk to poor in. As he saw the white liquid flowing, his mind wandered to different places. Places with a white-eyed woman.

 _Hyuuga Hinata. Wonder if she came here once, too. But I can´t remember writing her name on a cup._

Naruto mused about what happened in the hospital. It was a crazy day, but in the end, he was rewarded with the best painkiller he ever swallowed. Really, he didn´t feel a thing anymore.

 _Hyuuga …_ , Naruto still tried to remember where he heard the name.

"Oh god, you idiot!"

Ino´s hissing pulled him out of his musings, especially after he felt his front suddenly being wet with hot milk.

"Oh, damnit, dattebayo!"

* * *

Sasuke ran as fast as he could, but he still was far behind Sakura.

They heard a cry a few seconds ago. Sakura, the ninja that she was, rushed forward without second thought, leaving Sasuke behind. He didn´t waste any time and started running after her.

He was relieved when he saw something pink in the distance. There were many other colours, too, and the closer he came, the more he could distinguish.

 _"…_ _Oi, Sasuke! Isn´t the late summer festival starting this Friday? You could do something fun there. …"_

 _"…_ _You mean the fair in the Central Gardens? Near the river? …"_

 _"…_ _Yup! I´m sure Sakura-chan would be happy to go there. …"_

 _Of course. How could he forget._

Sakura stood beside a girl and her parents, scratching her neck, nervously. She bowed her head and the family walked away. Sakura gazed after them a little, then turned her head towards Sasuke´s direction, who stopped running by then. Still, he obviously tried to catch his breath.

"Sorry, Sasuke-kun", Sakura said, approaching him. "False alarm, I guess. There was a girl who cheered out of fun. So, no danger around."

"But a fair."

Sakura looked behind her, then at Sasuke again. "You … you knew?"

"I knew."

Sakura grinned mischievously. "Did you bring me here on purpose, then?"

Sasuke smirked, stopping in front of her. But it looked more apologetically. "I honestly thought about that yesterday, but forgot. This is actually a coincidence."

Sakura smiled still. "No worries. It´s the thought that counts." She turned around and nodded for Sasuke to accompany her. "Let´s go then!"

Sasuke nodded, and they walked forward. The closer they came, the more music and lights could be seen.

"You know", Sakura started. "This is my first time being here."

"Really?"

"Yup. I always wanted to come here, but I never had someone to go with." The pinkette turned to Sasuke and smiled, tilting her head to the side. "Now I have one."

This was absolutely not the way Sasuke wanted the date to go to. It was getting more and more meaningful, and it was total opposite of what Sasuke was planning in the beginning. However, he also remembered that he swore to himself to make this day worth it. For her. Only for her. Because she was worth it. And she would do the same for him.

"True", Sasuke said. "But for how long?"

"Who knows", Sakura answered. She caught Sasuke´s teasing question. "Maybe we´re going to have a long history together."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You´ve got something planned?"

"I honestly would like to get you as my housemaid", Sakura said, holding her chin with her lean fingers. "You´re really amazing at cooking and making coffee. I bet you´re good at cleaning, too."

Sasuke snorted. "In your dreams." Sakura laughed, then showed towards a cotton candy stand. "Oh, Sasuke-kun! I want some!" And Sakura increased her pace. Sasuke strolled after her, smiling at the scene. She was always so childish and full of energy. It was never boring with her.

 _15:21 pm. It´s been five hours already._

"You want some?", Sakura held her candy out to Sasuke, but the latter refused. "Oh, of course. You don´t like sweet things." The pinkette looked around, her pink hair – which matched her candy perfectly – swaying from side to side. "Do you think there´s anything spicy around here?"

"I´m good. Don´t worry about me."

"But you must be hungry. We´ve been walking around for so long." Sakura picked a little cloud of candy and put it in her mouth, her eyes eagerly searching his.

"I´ll eat something once we get to the city. I don´t like snacks here and there."

The cloud in front of Sakura´s mouth vanished in her mouth which formed to a frowning pout. However, there was still a little spot with candy above her chin.

Out of instinct, Sasuke reached forward and swiped it away with his thumb. In the middle of the act did both of them froze on the spot, eyes looking deep into each other, green meeting black. Sakura tensed together with Sasuke, who fell in a state of blackout again. It was looking like he held her chin for a moment, like a lover did.

"S-sorry. You had some candy there and-yeah." Sasuke pulled away, taking a step backward and holding his neck. _Damn. I feel like thirteen all over again with this woman._

Sakura´s eyes still searched through Sasuke´s, but couldn´t find what they looked for, since they didn´t know what they looked for either. It was the first time a man touched Sakura like this. The touch still lingered on the spot above her chin, for why she didn´t know. _I-it´s just Sasuke. I mean, it was just a friendly act on his side, right?_

"Don´t worry", Sakura laughed the tension off. "Actually, thank you. I must have looked like a three years-old, ne? I´m a bit clumsy and all, sorry."

Sasuke relaxed at what she said. So, she didn´t understand it the wrong way. "It can happen to everyone. No worries."

"Yeah."

They didn´t look at each other. Only at the cotton candy in Sakura´s hands. She held it like a bundle of flowers.

"Sakura-sama!", came a voice from behind Sakura. She turned around to see a little girl of about eleven years approaching them. Behind her walked a couple who must have been her parents.

Sakura smiled at the girl and held her hand. "Ayumi, how nice to see you."

"It´s nice to see you, too!"

"How are you?"

"I´m good! How´ve you been?" The girl bounced on her feet, excitedly.

"I´m fine, thank you."

Ayumi looked behind Sakura and observed Sasuke, who was looking curiously at the scene in front of him.

"Say, Sakura-sama, is that your boyfriend?"

Sakura tensed and blushed, together with Sasuke. "N-no, Ayumi! He´s just a friend."

"Hmmm", Ayumi hummed. "He should be your boyfriend. He´s pretty handsome."

"Ayumi!", came the chiding voice of her mother. "Stop embarrassing Sakura-sama! What manners you have!"

"S-sorry, kaa-san."

Ayumi´s parents stood in front of Sakura, now. "It´s nice to see you, Sakura-sama."

"It´s nice to see you, too. But please, don´t call me sama. I don´t deserve that title, really", Sakura said, blushing a little and tilting her head down in embarrassment.

"Nonsense", said the woman. "Thanks to you, I´m able to spend a day with my family here today. If not for you, this wouldn´t be possible."

"My wife is right", her husband said. "We´re in your debts."

Sasuke watched the scene silently. How many people thank her every day? How many people does she heal? How many _did_ she heal? He had no real right to be, but Sasuke was proud of her. _There should be more people like her around_ , he thought. _She´ll be the perfect hokage._

They talked a little more, then the parents and child turned and went on their way.

The pinkette said her goodbyes as well and turned around to face Sasuke again. She was smiling, obviously delighted to see the family again.

"Sorry", she said. "This happens sometimes, and I can´t turn the people down, you know."

Sasuke nodded. "Don´t worry. I understand." They proceeded walking, Sakura eating her cotton candy – with little bites, this time.

"Must feel nice, to have people thank you every day like that."

Sakura nodded, smiling. "That´s why I love my job. But you should know the feel, ne?"

Sasuke grunted. "I only serve coffee. There´s no big deal about that."

Sakura shook her head, smiling a little sadly. "You always think so low about what you´re doing, You shouldn´t underestimate little gestures." She took another bite. "You can just take me as an example. Without your coffee, I would go crazy in the hospital."

"Sure", Sasuke said sarcastically.

"Oh, you so have no idea", Sakura said, a little exasperated. "You don´t want to deal with me if I haven´t got my coffee before my shift. I can be a monster sometimes."

"Must look funny. With your cotton candy hair." Sasuke nodded towards Sakura´s head.

Sakura looked scandalized before laughing childishly and holding a strain of her hair next to the tiny left bump of candy in her hand. "Okay, I must give you that. It really looks alike." She chuckled again and took the last bite of the candy.

"Do you see a trash can or something?", Sakura asked, wiggling with the left stick in her hand.

Without saying something, Sasuke took the stick out of Sakura´s hand and went to a can to throw it away.

"You really know how to be a gentleman. If you want to", Sakura said, while they walked again.

Sasuke only shrugged with his shoulders. "Is it natural?"

"What?"

"Your hair."

Sakura´s mouth made an ´O´ and she giggled lightly, touching it again. "Yes, it is. I know it´s a weird colour, but it helps people recognizing me, I guess."

"Suits you", Sasuke said.

Sakura blushed a little. This was also the first time a man complimented her on that. It was different than the compliments of others. Normally they would do that with her abilities as a ninja. They would never compliment her as a woman.

"Don´t you think it looks weird?", Sakura said, biting down on her lip, with anticipation.

Sasuke observed her hair a little longer with his eyes. "I wouldn´t say weird. It´s unique. And it suits you, as I already said."

Sakura smiled, gratefully. "Thank you. It´s just that …" The pinkette played with her fingers, her shoulders slacked down a little. "I have the feeling that … Oh, what am I thinking, this is weird."

"Just talk", Sasuke reassured her. "But if you feel that it´s something you don´t want to share with me, then let it be."

 _" …_ _Sasuke. I want to ask you something. But I demand of you to answer me honestly or to not answer me and let it be. … "_

It was about the same thing she said to Sasuke today. Afterwards, he opened up to her. So, why couldn´t _she_ open up to _him_? _It´s so embarrassing, and he´s a guy, but … I somehow feel comfortable enough with him to talk about it._

"I just have the feeling …", Sakura started again. "I just … I have to say I don´t feel confident with my appearance."

Sasuke chuckled.

"Hey!", Sakura´s cheeks puffed out, her hands fisted on her sides. "I´m trying to share my problems with you! How can you laugh at something like this?!"

Sasuke only laughed harder, holding his belly. Sakura crossed her arms on her chest and stomped on her feet. She was relieved that the music in the fair was too loud for others to hear their conversation.

As Sasuke regained his composure, he brushed a tear away from his eyes. Sakura had to admit that even his laugh somehow sounded handsome.

"Sorry", Sasuke took a deep breath, still smiling with his breathtaking white teeth. "It´s just that you talk like it´s the weirdest thing on earth to not feel confident about your looks." Sakura knitted her brows together, not quite understanding. Sasuke continued explaining. "All people are like that. _Especially_ females like you." He gestured in Sakura´s direction. "There´s nothing to worry about that. Seriously, you should get all that ninja-stuff out of your head and start living a normal life. Geez."

 _A normal life_.

Sakura´s mood saddened in an instant. Sasuke didn´t miss it. "Hey", he said, his voice a little softer than usual. "What´s wrong?"

"I wish it was that easy", Saura said, mockingly.

Sasuke contemplated the things he already knew about Sakura, trying to understand her. She was right, her life was on a totally different level than his. Her parents died when she was very young, she was a ninja, she never went to a fair, she was the prodigy of the village on the run to become hokage … It was then that he realized something that he never thought of before.

 _" …_ _And, most important, he is a civilian and I´m a kunoichi. I mean, a serious relationship wouldn´t work between us. It´s like we´re in different dimensions, you know. … "_

Sasuke remembered what Sakura said that they, but the memory wasn´t as … bitter as before. Because, finally, he knew what the problem really was.

And maybe, how it could be solved. Maybe.

"I expressed myself wrongly. I apologize for that."

"Oh, you made yourself very clear, don´t worry." This time, Sakura´s voice was harsh. Plainly harsh.

"No, I didn´t", Sasuke pressed on. "There´s something we failed to figure out all along."

Sakura didn´t say anything.

"It´s that my definition of a ´normal life´ is different than yours."

This time, Sakura looked at her companion. They were in the middle of the fair at that moment, walking in a loud crowd. The pinkette raised an eyebrow.

"This", Sasuke showed around himself. "Is what a normal life means to me. When I have a day off I try to enjoy the day as best as I can. I bet you would´ve been training or researching something without me today, right?"

Sakura nodded without hesitation. "That´s what came first to my mind when my supposed date told me he wouldn´t be able to come."

"That´s what I mean. I might as well say I´m showing you my life right now."

"Your life …" Sakura thought about it. It was very reasonable. But she was still surprised that Sasuke knew what she would have done today if not for the date. "Wait", she said. "How did you know what I would do today?"

Sasuke scratched his neck, sheepishly looking to the side and shrugging his shoulders. "They always train on their free days in ´ _Tales of the Gutsy Ninja´._ "

This time Sakura was the one laughing. "Oh my! You really watch that cheap drama?!"

And this time, Sasuke was the one who embarrassedly looked away and narrowed his eyes. "It´s not cheap."

"But it _is_ ", Sakura stressed out. She was grinning mockingly. "I´ve only watched it a few times to make fun of the whole show! Have you never noticed how the hero always wins even if he´s like … I don´t know, twelve or something? How he learns that awesome fighting skill in only three days? How nobody likes him but there is this one girl who has a crush on him?"

"So what", Sasuke snapped. "The whole village bows in front of you because you´re the awesome prodigy-child with the pink hair. Your life sounds like a whole drama if you ask _me_."

That´s when Sakura´s grin cracked and her cheeks blushed. They were silent for a few seconds, lost in their own thoughts.

"Okay", Sakura admitted. "I believe you´re right."

Sasuke nodded.

Sakura bounced on her feet and came to an abrupt stop, which made Sasuke turn to her. "Then I want to learn more about your ´normal´ life if you´re up to show me." Sakura smiled shyly at Sasuke, who looked like he was contemplating something.

It was something Sakura contemplated thoroughly since Sasuke and her had that talk on the bench. He was an interesting person, and at the same time, the key to the door which held the information about the other, civilian citizens.

Sasuke, on the other hand, wasn´t sure if this was the right thing to do. For one, he didn´t know how far she would go with this whole showing life thing. This date was planned as a one-time-thing. After that everything was to be forgotten. At least, that´s what Sasuke intended in the beginning.

 _" …_ _Show her, so you won´t regret later that you didn´t at least try, dattebayo! … "_

 _Should I really?_

Before he could think about it properly, Sakura grabbed him by his wrist and dragged Sasuke towards the first attraction she could see.

* * *

With a sigh of exhaustion, a woman with black, straight hair and blazing white eyes sank down on an office chair by a large office desk. She wore a lab coat over a dark blue hospital uniform. In front of her lay a sandwich on a table and a bottle of water.

 _Finally a break,_ she thought.

 _17:22 pm._

Just as the woman wanted to take a bite of the sandwich, did the door to her office flow open. Inside walked an old lady with a cane.

"Hinata!", she said, a little louder than necessary. "What in the world is going on here in the hospital?!"

Said woman, Hinata, groaned internally and looked apologetically at her sandwich before answering the old woman. "Lady Chiyo, would you please close the door behind you and talk a little lower inside this hospital?" Hinata´s voice was soft and friendy, but very confident all the same. Like the ones of kindergarten teachers.

Chiyo shut the door behind her. "And what kind of a tone is that you use on me?"

"Excuse me if I upset you." Hinata knew that nagging was one of Chiyo´s hobbies, so she didn´t give it a second thought. "What brings you here, if I may ask?"

"I came here to see what became of Tsunade´s hospital and her successors, but what I found is scandalizing! The staff is unfriendly, the rooms and equipment look old and crumbling-"

Hinata tried not to make a face at that. _We just finished renovating last month …_

"-and where the hell are Tsunade and Sakura?!"

Hinata stifled a sigh. "Tsunade-sama is hokage, Lady Chiyo. She has other duties to occupy herself with. And Sakura has a day off today, but the staff and I are here to fill them in."

Chiyo walked to Hinata´s desk and sat on one of the chairs in front of it, holding her cane. "A day off? If your staff in here takes a day off here and there then there´s no wonder that things are going downward for this hospital-"

"Lady Chiyo", Hinata started a little more harshly. "We are very confident and satisfied with our conditions here. Today is an exception for many reasons. There is nothing wrong with earning yourself holidays after working for months like Sakura. Also, this morning, we had an emergency. An ANBU-team was ambushed and injured very badly, _and_ " – she stressed her next words – "I just lived through an exhausting birth that lasted for several hours. Which means, I am very stressed and want to enjoy my well-deserved break if you´ll excuse me." Hinata held her plate up to underline her point.

Chiyo looked angry first, but as Hinata held her glare for many seconds, the old woman laughed loud and sincerely. It was then that Hinata cracked a shy smile.

"Hinata", Chiyo said with a smile. She opened her arms. "Come here!"

The women hugged each other tightly. After that, Hinata sat in front of Chiyo on another chair, holding the old woman´s hands.

"It´s so good to see you again, Lady Chiyo."

"The pleasure is mine, dear. I see you grew out well!"

Hinata blushed a little. "Thank you. It´s all thanks to Tsunade-sama and Sakura."

"Nonsense", Chiyo claimed. "You´ve always been a strong girl. You just had to finally open your wings and fly away on your own like a young bird."

The talk continued, with both women catching up on each other´s lives. It was nice for them to see each other after so long. Chiyo trained Hinata and Sakura for months when they were chuunin. It was a request of Lady Tsunade. They grew closer with passing time in the Sand-village, where Chiyo resided.

"Sakura´s been good as well? I heard very positive things about her from the staff."

"Oh, yes. Sakura´s getting stronger each passing day it seems. She isn´t Tsunade´s successor for nothing, you see."

"Hmmm", Chiyo hummed, thoughtfully. "Both of you are very well known in this village, I noticed. Are there any suiters, yet?"

Hinata blushed a little. "L-Lady Chiyo! Sakura made it very clear last time, that-"

"I know, I know", Chiyo waved Hinata off, a little annoyed. "But you are almost twenty now, if I remember correctly. There ought to be some men who give it a try, right?"

"It is common for ninja to marry at an older age, Lady Chiyo. Sakura and I are both very young."

"That was common in my generation, dear", said Chiyo. "Times have changed. Wars are over. It is peaceful these days, perfect for young people to marry and built a family. Also, you and Sakura are both successors. There must have been some Hyuuga clans-men who were proposed to you for marriage. You are the heir to the main branch after all."

Hinata smiled, a little sadly. "I´m afraid that´s something my elders will decide for me. I don´t have a say in this matter."

Chiyo huffed, clearly disturbed. "Tch, that old Hiashi! Still living in the old times, is he? I´m going to talk to him about this-"

"No, please, Lady Chiyo. I accept my fate." _For Neji nii-san._

"Hmph. You should choose your fate, not accept it as it comes."

Hinata smiled sadly. "You know as well as I do that I can´t do that easily."

Chiyo just shook her head. "What´s with Sakura then?"

This time, Hinata looked a little angry. "Sakura stated long time ago that she will not engage in a relationship with Sasori. What makes you think she will now?"

Chiyo hit the ground with her cane. "I will propose it to her as long as she has no partner. My nephew would be a beautiful match for her."

Hinata´s lips made a thin line. _This woman is so stubborn, really._ "If you say so …"

"I say so." Chiyo nodded, then stood up. "Now, I wasted enough time in this hospital. I´m going to see Tsunade for a cup of coffee."

The women said their goodbyes after sharing a tight hug.

 _A coffee …_ Hinata rubbed her eyes. _Would be good now, actually, …_ She tapped on her chin with her forefinger. _Where does Sakura go, did she say?_

Hinata worked in the hospital on the other side of the city before coming to this one about six months ago. She and the pinkette had different time schedules, so they could never go to Sakura´s favourite café together. The Hyuuga compound was in the opposite direction, Sakura said. That´s why Hinata never had the chance to visit it, although she must have seen it a few times before.

 _Well, I guess today´s the time,_ Hinata said, grabbing her sandwich and eating it on her way to the café.

* * *

 _Fin._


	9. The Date-4

_**For A Cup Of Caramella**_

* * *

 _Chapter 9_

 _"_ _The Date – 4"_

* * *

"I had so much fun!"

Sakura and Sasuke slowly strolled towards some tables and chairs by the river. The fair´s atmosphere continued here, since there were colourful lamps and a few attractions gathered around the place. The pair sat down by a table and started eating a simple meal of fries and hot dogs. Sasuke was too tired and hungry to argue Sakura´s choice of food this time.

He would´ve never thought that this woman kept so much childish energy inside her.

"We should come here again! The fair is awesome!"

Sasuke checked the time.

 _17:29 pm. The day is almost over._

The barista continued eating without saying something.

"You don´t like to be disturbed while eating, ne?" Sakura put one of the fries in her mouth, and ate it with a happy smile on her face.

Sasuke just shrugged.

As they were half through their meals, Sakura´s eyes suddenly shined excitedly towards the river. She showed in a specific direction Sasuke turned his eyes to. There was a boat stand by the river.

"Do you think we can rent one?"

Sasuke nodded, although he was way too tired for the idea. "They belong to the fair. You can float with a boat towards the inner city, where people take them to float back to the fair."

"Then let´s take one. It´s on our way, anyways, right?"

Sasuke nodded. It was also faster than walking.

They agreed, and they did. After they paid the man responsible for the activity, they got on a boat for two people and started moving their feet on the pedals. There was a little practice needed, but they soon figured out to move their feet in sync.

"I´ve never been on such a boat before."

"Have you ever done _anything_ before?"

Sakura kicked Sasuke´s leg lightly. It still pulled a grunt out of his throat.

"Stop that. What was that about _we have different definitions of normal life_?" Sakura mimicked Sasuke´s deep voice, which made him chuckle a little.

"So, to the city?" _Better ignore her temper._

"Yup."

They bypassed a pair of a grandfather and granddaughter when they suddenly heard a cry from behind them.

"Oh no, my teddy!"

They turned around, stopping in their footwork. The girl reached for a teddy-bear she obviously lost in the river, her granddad holding her back. It was floating around.

Sakura stood up.

"Oi, what are you doing?", Sasuke asked, concerned. Sakura looked like she wanted to step out of the boat. "You´re going to-"

Suddenly, to Sasuke´s utter surprise, Sakura walked on the river with her heels as if it was a steady and flat ground.

"-fall into the river …", Sasuke murmured his last words, his eyes settled on her feet in awe, much like the ones of the girl and the old man.

Sakura walked casually towards the teddy bear and lifted it up in her hands. She squeezed and wiggled it a little before walking towards the girl on the boat. Sakura smiled softly at the girl and gave her the teddy.

"Thank you, pretty ninja miss!"

Sakura blushed a little. "You´re welcome." She nodded towards her granddad and walked back to Sasuke, who was still looking amazed at her feet.

The pinkette came to stand right next to her seat on the boat, smiling at him. "Why are you looking like that?" She was teasing him, obviously.

Sasuke needed a few seconds more to understand that the things he saw on that ninja-TV-drama were reality. He gazed deeply into Sakura´s eyes.

"Can you fly, too?"

Sakura burst out laughing, while holding her belly and shaking her head. Sasuke blushed furiously and looked everywhere but in her direction.

He had a lot to learn about her as well.

* * *

Naruto was just arranging some cups in the shelves by the counter when he heard a soft, but strong voice. It was getting less busy since about 17 pm but there were still some customers passing by, most of them only buying a coffee-to-go for a lazy late Friday afternoon.

"I´d like to order a _dark mocha_."

"Sure, girl. To go?", Ino said. She stood by the till.

"Yes, thank you."

"Naruto?"

"Heard it loud and clear! Gimme just a sec!"

Naruto didn´t bother to look into the direction of the voice, just grinning and getting to work. Ino was tending to the customer after all.

Just as Naruto was about to write a name on the cup, did he remember to ask for it.

"What´s your name, mi-?"

And he froze on the spot.

Sure, the woman in front of him was beautiful. There were many women who looked beautiful to him.

But it must have been the first time he saw a woman who was _that_ beautiful.

Ino raised an eyebrow at him, knowing exactly what that look on his face meant. She might or might not have seen the dark blush on his cheeks.

But Naruto didn´t pay her any attention. He only had eyes and a brain for beautiful, silk like long dark hair, pale skin, perfect womanly curves, and the brightest white eyes. And that soft and lovely smile …

 _Wait … white eyes?!_

"Ah, miss, we ask for the names of customers to write their names on the ordered cups. If you don´t mind…?"

Naruto would´ve thanked Ino for her help and encouragement if his brain would´ve not been in a total blackout at that moment.

The beautiful customer´s eyebrows raised for a little second, then she smiled oh so softly again, this time directly at Naruto. It was meant to be polite, but it looked just so _lovely_!

"Ah, of course. My name is Hyuuga Hinata."

 _Hyuuga … Hinata …._

These were Naruto´s last thoughts before his eyesight got blurry and black in an instant.

And he fainted.

* * *

They were getting off the boat when Sakura still giggled to herself.

"It´s not that funny."

"But it _is!_ " The giggles continued. She mimicked Sasuke´s voice. " _Can you fly, too?_ " And she giggled again.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

The giggles turned into hiccups, making Sakura blush this time. Sasuke smirked.

"There. Stop giggling."

Sakura smiled sweetly at him. "You know- _hic_ -when you´re embarrassed- _hic_ -you´re- _hic_ -really cute, Sasuke-kun- _hic_."

It was Sasuke´s turn to blush now, but he didn´t know if the reason was that she called him cute, or that he thought that her hiccupping was cute while she said that he was cute.

"Sh-shut up."

Sakura giggled again. She had a pleasant and warm feeling coming out in little sparks in her stomach. She was sure the reason to it was Sasuke´s company.

Sakura knew she made a good friend with him.

* * *

They walked through the city, slowly strolling towards Sakura´s apartment. They were a little exhausted, but overall happy and obviously, had grown much closer. It was easy to tell, with the way they stood next to each other while walking, even brushing each other´s arms without noticing it. The little touches didn´t bother them anymore.

Coming to a stop in front of Sakura´s apartment door, they turned to stand face-to-face. Sasuke typically looked with a blank expression, but his eyes showed a tender softness in them. Sakura, on the other hand, didn´t bother to hide her contentment. She smiled happily and her eyes shined brightly.

She swayed a little on her feet.

"I had the best day in months! Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke shrugged, nonchalantly.

"It was alright. And no problem."

Sakura grinned playfully at him. "If you say so."

There was silence again between the two. But not an uncomfortable one, mind you. It was a content silence, without any trace of awkwardness. Only eyes were averted to the other pair, pure happiness radiating from them.

"Well, I guess I should go inside now", Sakura said. Her voice sounded just the slightest bit sad.

Sasuke nodded. "Yeah." The man´s voice sounded a little rougher than usual, as if regretting to agree.

The pinkette smiled again, as tender as her best dark-haired friend. "Thanks again. Will I see you at work?"

Sasuke nodded again, his lips quirking a little upward.

"Where else?"

The woman´s smile widened if even possible. She turned around, opened her apartment door, took a step inside and turned around one more time.

There was this tender silence that filled the atmosphere again.

"What are you waiting for?", Sakura asked, amused.

"What are _you_ waiting for?", Sasuke answered, just as playfully.

The pinkette giggled and moved to close the door, peeking from behind it with one eye. Sasuke still stood there, looking at her.

As she started laughing a little embarrassed, she unconsciously opened the door a little again. Sasuke joined her soft laughter.

" _Sasukeeee_ ", she said, chidingly.

"Alright, alright, I´m going", the man´s voice came out between chuckling breaths.

"Shoo, shoo", Sakura giggled.

And Sasuke walked away. But not without turning around to glance at the pinkette for a last time.

* * *

The late evening sky was dark, but clear for Sasuke to witness the vast sea of stars above. Weather like this assisted him in clearing his own mind.

It was – all in all – a successful day. Maybe even too successful. He never wanted the date to become that meaningful, _but it did_. At first, he was afraid of the feelings, thoughts and memories it would create. However, after he spent more and more time with the pinkette, did he just let himself go with the flow of things.

As he had decided in the very beginning, Sakura only deserved the best, and he gave her his best.

And he didn´t regret a bit.

Yet.

Sure, he was happy. Happy that he made her smile, laugh, giggle, and made her eyes shine brightly. There was nothing else he ever wanted to do as badly as that. He kind of accomplished his mission.

It was just as Sakura explained before. She was his special dear person, and he would do anything for her only to make her happy.

But how far would he go?

How much could he handle?

And, how much could he _endure_ if he ever needed to let her go?

But did he already own her, _something_ of her, to let go when the time comes?

* * *

Sakura had showered and changed into her nightclothes, an oversized shirt and short pants. She also wore socks, because her feet were always cold. The pink tresses were floating around her head as well, still a little damp.

The pinkette entered her bedroom and let herself fall face-first on her bed. She lay there a second, before turning around on her back. Her lower legs dangled down, one arm rested on her stomach, the other flat on the bed next to her head. Jade eyes observed the ceiling.

 _What a day …_

She closed her eyes to relax her unexplainable giddiness. Funny was that the first image emerging in front of her closed eyelids was that of a special male barista. Sakura opened her eyelids again, a little irritated by that.

 _Well, I saw him all day. My brain needs time to process what happened today, I guess. Might even dream about the date._

Sakura sat up and let her gaze wander around the room. It halted at the sight of her desk, where she put her bag on.

The woman stood up and walked towards it. She rummaged inside to pull out a neatly placed photograph.

Sakura went back to bed. She laid her back on the headboard and pulled her knees up to her chest to hug them. She rested her chin on them, the photograph laying next to her, with the picture showing down.

When her eyes slowly gazed to it, she just as slowly stretched her legs again until they lay spread out, but close to each other. She reached for the photograph, held it in front of her, and turned it.

There were two people smiling at her. One was a woman, with pink hair and jade green eyes. The other one stood next to her. He had jet-black hair and just as dark eyes. He was smiling as well, and it even looked like an earnest smile. It was a picture they took at the fair this late afternoon.

Sakura´s lips quirked upwards. She looked at the picture for a little longer before putting it into her drawer.

And she decided to go to sleep.

* * *

 _Fin._

* * *

 _First, big thanks to reviewers, followers, favs!_

 _Second, Sry for the late update. Last weeks were quite stressful… Also, sry for the short nature of this chap, but it was meant to be a nice close up._

 _So, I wanted to make this just as fluffy as possible because the story will majorly build up from here. There will be still fluff involved, of course, but not without drama! I try to make this as romance-K-Drama-like as possible. Because they´re cute._

 _Also, will edit all the other chaps if I find the time._

 _Leave a review, lemme know what you think of this chap and my future plans!_

 _Beat._

 _(Funny note: Naruto will be the one fainting in this, because Hinata´s character will be a lot stronger than in original when she was younger. Because I just don´t like shy Hinata, but I do find shy and fainting Naruto funny.)_


	10. The Night after their Date

_**For A Cup Of Caramella**_

* * *

 _The lights of their apartment was dim, but especially lit on the balcony. With the warmth of the night, it was no wonder that his brother was still awake and enjoying the light breeze. He liked nights like these._

 _He also liked to stay awake until his little brother came home. In the end, he was his responsibility. And the task of being a big brother was given to him by his mother. Which meant he had to fulfil it, because he would never dare to disappoint her. She just deserved that._

 _And he just as loved his brother with all his heart, which meant he enjoyed his task._

 _Sasuke opened the apartment door. He strolled through the village after bringing Sakura home. He needed to clear his mind, after all._

 _The barista took his shoes and jacket off. After announcing that he was home, he went to his room to change into comfortable clothes and made his way to his brother, who was sitting in their balcony, swaying on their Hollywood swing._

 _"_ _Nii-san?"_

* * *

 _Chapter 10_

 _"_ _The Night after their Date"_

* * *

"Nii-san?"

"Sasuke."

Itachi´s voice was as smooth and thick and golden as honey. If Sasuke´s voice was cutting through things, Itachi´s was _melting through them._ It was the way his baritone let out a deep and clear sound, not as grumbling as Sasuke´s. It promised warmth, sympathy and patience. He was a welcoming human being, and Sasuke just needed someone like that.

The younger Uchiha sat down next to his brother while his mouth let out a deep sigh.

"Rough day?", Itachi asked. The brothers swayed in sync on the swing.

"Not rough. More exhausting."

There was no eye contact shared while they talked. Being already connected through blood as brothers, they didn´t need a further connection to understand each other.

"You don´t seem physically exhausted."

"Don´t come to me with your psychology crap."

Itachi chuckled lightly. "Something definitely wracked your brain mentally."

The barista rolled his eyes.

"I know that you´re studying psychology, stop referring everything to it."

"We´re made and controlled by our mentality, Sasuke. You can´t deny that. You´re too smart for that."

"I´m _street_ smart, not school smart like you."

They bathed in a comfortable silence until Itachi closed his eyes and continued speaking.

"How was the date?"

There was no answer.

Itachi talked again. "I thought so."

Sasuke hesitated a little. What happened today was too much to sum up quickly. "It´s … hard to explain."

"Then take your time. You´re not working tomorrow, are you?" As the older brother that he was, Itachi needed to make sure his brother rested well. Itachi always thought that his brother worked too much anyways.

"In the afternoon."

"Ah. Then we have time. Think it through, then talk to me about it."

This was one of the things Sasuke was very grateful for of Itachi. He was the most patient man Sasuke knew, and the most understanding. If not for Itachi, the young barista would´ve never achieved anything in his life. Itachi was the pillar he leaned on to.

"I didn´t mean for you to think until dawn you know."

Sasuke gasped a little scandalized, then gave his brother the stink eye. "Well, if you don´t intend to listen to me, I can always-"

Itachi chuckled deeply. "You haven´t changed a bit, otouto." Sasuke blinked, dumbfounded. "You´ve always been a hothead and too resentful for your own good."

Sasuke averted his eyes to the front, ignoring what his brother just said. He hated it when Itachi stated that he always knew what was on his brother´s mind.

Itachi let a little silence settle in, to let Sasuke cool down a little.

"So … the date?"

Sasuke sighed. "It was … alright. Just like any other date. Just … alright. If not for …"

"… Yes?"

"If not for … the overall atmosphere, the thoughts, the …" The _feels_.

Itachi nodded. "I suspected this would happen, sooner or later that is."

The younger Uchiha turned his head to look at his brother questioningly.

"You´re overwhelmed with all the _real_ feelings you seem to feel for that woman. Sakura, was it?"

"What do you mean by ´real´?" Sasuke didn´t need to answer the question, because Itachi already knew of course. The reason might or might not have been that Sasuke didn´t want to really elaborate on that topic.

"I dare say you´ve never thought of anything more than little flings with all the girls you´ve ever dated, to satisfy your hormonal urges at that time-"

"Hey, watch out what you´re saying!", Sasuke hissed.

"-because you clearly didn´t have anything else to do when you were younger, like _going to school properly_ -"

" _Itach_ -"

"-or other things. What I mean is there were never _feels_ involved in any of your past relationships. Or deep connections. You were searching for someone to fill that lonely gap in your heart, but in the wrong ways a teenager is seduced to do."

Sasuke didn´t answer to that. He knew his brother was right, but he wouldn´t give him the reassuring satisfaction of being the all-knowing-older brother. Sasuke was too proud for that.

"You might as well don´t quite sense the difference now, since you haven´t had the chance to get too involved with Sakura, but your feelings will grow, Sasuke."

"What´s got into you today? And how do you want to know that? You´re not me."

Itachi grinned now, from ear to ear. "Foolish little brother. I know you. I´m your older brother. Besides, this is the first time you step up to my feet to get advice out of me in the matter of women."

A gasp. "I didn´t do that."

"You´re just too proud to accept it."

"As if."

Silence filled the balcony. The brothers continued swaying on the swing, enjoying each other´s company. More Sasuke, really. Most of his life, there was always this person missing who he could go to anytime if he needed to get the burdens in his heart out.

Still, it was very hard to get _this_ burden out.

Sasuke leaned onto his knees with his arms, deep in concentration.

The swaying stopped.

"I…", Sasuke started. "I really don´t know what to do."

Itachi nodded, but he didn´t say anything. It was only a matter of time for Sasuke to open up to him.

"It´s … It´s so easy to just spend time with her. I tried to hold myself back in the beginning, but … I just couldn´t. It´s like when she´s around I just lose myself to her. It´s because she makes me feel … comfortable around her." Sasuke´s eyebrows knitted together. "She always had that atmosphere around her, from day one. Where she goes she like… She makes people smile and feel welcomed and …"

 _And loved._

"She just has this lightness around her. I really don´t know, nii-san."

At this point, Sasuke held his head in his hands, his back bent. Itachi reached forward and patted his shoulder.

"Things will get clear, don´t worry. You remember when I refused to step to the next level with Izumi?"

Sasuke sat up again, and nodded.

"But it´s not the same. I told you what she thinks about civilians." Sasuke´s hands balled into fists. "She probably thinks I´m just a weak excuse of a man."

"Don´t build up complexes around you.", the older Uchiha chided his brother. "You can offer her more than you think. Just like I offer Izumi things, even within my condition."

Sasuke lightly flinched at this. He attempted to mumble an apology, but was cut off immediately by Itachi.

"Stop apologizing. Those times are over, and I´m still alive and can visit the toilet on my own. Also, it didn´t happen on purpose, so there´s no need for me either to accept your apologies."

Sasuke sighed. "Hn."

"So", Itachi went on. "You say the big deal between you two is the fact that she´s a ninja and you´re a civilian? So what? Izumi lives on the other end of Konoha and we´re still together."

Sasuke shook his head. "She only thinks of me as a good friend. There´s nothing else. And a civilian friend, at that."

"Sasuke-"

"No, I´m not finished. Let me elaborate."

There was a shut of a mouth, and Itachi laid back and prepared for what was to come.

Sasuke popped his left leg up. The swaying started again.

"Our lives are different to such an extend that our definition of lives are completely different. Like, she never was on a fair her whole life. Can you imagine that?"

Itachi thought about it, then shook his head.

"I understand. And you never have gone on a mission."

"Exactly. I don´t mean that we don´t go along. It´s the total opposite. It´s so easy to talk to her … It´s just that our lives … that we _don´t fit_ together."

Itachi´s eyebrows knitted together, but he remained silent.

"It doesn´t matter how close I am to her, I _can´t reach her._ "

Silence.

"Why?"

"Because … because with her, I don´t know what the future will bring. How she´ll react to me … How _I_ will affect her future …"

Itachi nodded, slowly. "You´re afraid to interfere in her life."

Sasuke stared into the distance. "Her dream is to become Hokage one day. She needs someone who can support her on that. Someone who is worth for the future Hokage. An elite ninja, the strongest ninja of the Leaf, someone like that."

He looked down on his hands.

"Not a former street smart bad boy like me … Not a simple barista like me …"

"That´s a very genuine thought of you. She must mean a lot to you, then. And don´t think so low of yourself. You´re a very caring person, deep down. Just listen to yourself worrying about your influence on her life."

Sasuke sighed.

"But", Itachi went on.

The younger Uchiha blinked when his brother made a long pause at that. Sasuke turned around to look at him, his curiosity rising.

"What if it´s the opposite way?"

The barista knitted his eyebrows together. "What do you mean?"

"I mean", Itachi started. "What if _she_ is the one who wants to take a step further one day?"

Sasuke startled at that. He never thought of this possibility before.

"What if _she_ wants to start a relationship?"

"That´s ridiculous. Sakura would never do that, she said so-"

"But what _if_? What will _you_ do then?"

When there was no answer, but only a dark male looking into the distance with an uncertain, but hopeful expression on his face, Itachi stood up. He ruffled Sasuke´s hair before going inside.

"Think about it. This life is full of surprises. Especially _love._ "

 _Love._

 _" … Just listen to yourself. It´s like you talk about politics or a business treatment. There is something you miss out. The most important thing."_

 _"Which is?"_

 _Sakura looked back at him, smiling honestly._

 _"Love."_

 _Sasuke didn´t answer to that, giving Sakura space to elaborate._

 _"I think if someone really loves somebody, he or she wouldn´t mind the bad behaviour or quirks of their partner."_

 _"That´s not how real life works."_

 _"You can´t understand because you are a man."_

 _Sasuke snorted. "So, you say if there is someone you love, you will endure every bad thing he does?"_

 _Sakura didn´t need to think about that. "Of course."_

 _"Even if he hurts you?"_

 _"You don´t understand, dummy."_ _Sakura turned around a little, to face Sasuke better. "It´s not about what I get back in return. It´s about what I already feel for the person." Sakura rested her arm on the back of the bench. "If someone really loves somebody, the person would do everything to get their love onto the right track. They would endure so long as it takes for their partner to love them back. … "_

His brotherly duty was done, and now it was Sasuke´s task to decide what to understand of this conversation.

* * *

"Here´s the report."

Documents and pictures in dark envelops and files were thrown on a just as dark office desk. There were more of them as well, all of them gathered together for the same purpose.

The owner of the desk who sat by it on his chair spoke up to the man who brought him the files.

"How is the general situation?"

"The times of visit increase, even until late at night. So are the conversation and the meetings. Today, they spend almost ten hours together. I assume they were on a _date_."

The man by the desk threw the picture he just held in his hands on his desk with the right force to make the picture slam on it. He exasperatedly stood up and let walked around his desk to his worker.

"You", he said, almost poking the man in front of him with his forefinger. "Will keep an eye on her. More intensely. I want to know every step she takes, every person she meets and every action she does. _Especially_ when she is around that man. Tell the informants to gather all information they have on him. _All information._ Every little detail. From child- to adulthood, understand?"

With that, the worker nodded and exited the room. The boss grunted out loud and sighed through his nose. He turned around and looked at his desk. At the items on it.

The man stepped further towards his desk. He picked one item up. It was a picture.

It was a picture of a pink haired woman and a dark haired man. The man held her chin up with his fingers, both of them looking deeply into the other´s eyes. The woman held a soft candy in her hands, and there was a fair-like background around them.

The man crushed the picture in his hand.

 _Whoever you are, you are_ _ **not**_ _going to win her over._

* * *

 _Fin._

* * *

 _So I have to say, the length of each chapter will change now and then. Depends on the topic and on the things I write. Honestly, I could´ve put this chap at the end of the other one, but it is an important one that changes everything, so yeah you see the turning point._

 _Also: For the ones who will possibly attack me because Sasuke was kind of a player in this fic, yeah, he_ _ **was**_ _because he wasn´t quite right in the mind and didn´t have any ambitions like becoming a strong ninja. And most important, heh, after he got to know Sakura, he stopped with his business with girls._

 _What do you think of the brotherly relationship between Sasuke and Itachi? Did I portray it well?_

 _Thanks for alllllllllll the reviewers and favs and follows again!^^_

 _Beat._


	11. The Dress

**_FOR A CUP OF CARAMELLA_**

* * *

 _Chapter 11_

* * *

 _"_ _You know what? You´re a coward."_

 _"_ _Shut up, Ino."_

* * *

 _"_ _The Dress"_

* * *

It´s been about a week after their date, and he was on his lunch break. Sakura had visited daily, as usual, and he prepared her _caramella_ for her. The only thing that changed was the way they behaved towards each other, which was far closer and friendlier than before. They even began to tease and mock, like best friends do. It somewhat made Sasuke giddy on the inside, but it scared him. There was still the option whether to keep his distance, or to stay close on a friendly basis. The decision he had yet to make, but it was harder than he thought. Did he want to forget about her? Or did he want to still keep her within his reach?

That´s why it was always a nice opportunity to sit down and relax, and to eat his favourite sandwich on his lunchbreak, forgetting what caused his mind to worry.

If not for loud mouthed blonds. Or, if not for a loud-mouthed blond _woman_ that was too curious for his liking, always had been.

"I mean, you had so many chances to approach her! To make a move! Why were you hesitating so much?"

Ino was eating her salad, claiming she was on a diet. Like she did for a few years already.

Sasuke swallowed his bite down, and answered, "How many times do I have to tell you? I have no interest in her."

"Tch", Ino snorted, as unladylike as she was able to, since he was giving her the same excuses for a week. In front of other people, she wouldn´t dare to behave like that. But this was Sasuke, the boy she grew up with like siblings. "Worst joke of the year", she clapped her hands. He pouted.

"Sasuke, really. Just go for it. What do you have to lose?"

" _I_ don´t have anything to lose. But _she_ has."

Ino blinked, and took a bite of her salad. Sasuke reached over to take a tomato from her lunch box.

It took her one week to make him finally open up to her about the topic, so she of course tried to push him further, "What do you mean?"

The barista swallowed, and sighed. "She has big plans for her future. Huge plans. She is a ninja with a career she has to build up herself." He took a sip from his tea. "She wants to become Hokage one day." Sasuke´s face darkened. "Where would be my place in her future?"

Ino blinked, and thought. She took another bite of her salad, while Sasuke looked onto his sandwich, which he let fall on his plate. Ino kicked his leg afterwards, but only lightly, friendly. "Hey, can you somehow look into the future or what? How would you know? It´s also possible that you will have ten kids and a huge villa outside the city, on your own island as well." Sasuke snorted, Ino smirked and shrugged. "No one knows what will happen in the future, Sasuke. If she tries to build up her future, you should do too. And when the time comes, try to do it together."

"If it would be that easy."

Ino smiled, and held Sasuke´s wrist. "Do you remember those little brats who ran around Konoha Downtown´s streets with the cheapest clothes, all ragged and filthy, with stolen sweets in their hands?" It was Sasuke who smiled now, reminiscing in their past. Ino leaned back on her chair again. "Do you remember what we all dreamed of? It was the craziest things. I wanted to become the most beautiful princess in Konoha, remember? Look what has become of us."

He snorted, "You are a princess, Ino."

She smiled. "Thanks."

"However", Sasuke said, going back to serious business. "Those were children´s dreams. What we have are adult´s dreams. They are serious goals."

Ino shook her head. "Dreams are dreams, Sasuke. You could also say that it´s childish to have dreams in general, because all dreams are surreal fantasies. They aren´t proven reality."

Sasuke sighed, and threw the last bit of his sandwich into his mouth. "I swear you and Itachi", he said, and swallowed, "think too much into things. Your head is full of that psychology crap."

"It´s because we have to balance out that you and Naruto tend to think too less into things."

"Tch."

* * *

The shift ended at 4 pm that day, and Sasuke got out of the café about half an hour later. It was Friday again, so there were many customers who he had to tend to before he could call it a day. He waved ´bye´ to Ino and proceeded to go home. A shower was a nice thought right now, and exactly what he needed. Also, Itachi caught a cold and lay sick in bed, so Sasuke wanted to check up on him.

"I´m home", Sasuke said a little loud when he opened the door to their home, to let Itachi know who entered it. Their dog, Shiro, immediately barked and ran to greet Sasuke. He, in return crouched down and ruffled the dog, with a smile on his face. He had been always someone who loved animals, no matter which ones. "Hey, buddy. How´ve you been?"

The barista stood up, and walked over to Itachi´s room, when Izumi – Itachi´s fiancé – walked out of it. Sasuke blinked, and greeted her with a nod.

"Hey, Sasuke-chan." She smiled, friendly. Shiro looked at her, adoringly. He grew fond of her since she visited often with snacks for him.

Sasuke was annoyed by the suffix for years, but learned to ignore it. Izumi had become like a sister to him, after all, and sometimes even a second mother.

Not that he would ever admit that. "Hey. How´s Itachi?"

Izumi smiled, and took Sasuke´s bag from him while he took his shoes off. "He´s fine, don´t worry." She smirked, mockingly. "It´s only his voice that sounds bad."

Sasuke´s hands stopped untying his shoes suddenly, and he rose a questioning eyebrow at Izumi from beneath, "You mean that his voice", he smirked, "is like last time when he got sick?"

Izumi giggled and whispered, "Exactly like that. Maybe even worse." She covered her mouth to contain her giggles. "Really, he tries not to talk too much because it´s embarrassing for him. Don´t tease him too much, would you?"

When Itachi would catch a cold, his voice would always rise a few octaves higher, so that he would sound like he was squeaking. It was a strong contrast to his much deeper, normal voice.

It was also a great opportunity for Sasuke to tease his older brother.

"Hey, nii-san", Sasuke said, trying not to grin like a maniac. "How´s the vocal cords?" He leaned against Itachi´s bedroom wall, with his arms crossed.

Izumi bit her lip to contain her laughter, caused by Itachi´s annoyed grimace. He nodded his head to the doors direction, an indication that he wanted to be left alone. He was lying on his bed, listening to an interesting audio-book.

Sasuke chuckled and let him be, "Tch. I´m going to take a quick shower and will head out afterwards to the mall. You want me to buy something?"

Itachi gave him a glare, because he knew he had to talk to tell him, and he was aware of the fact that Sasuke knew as well. The grin on his little brother´s face was evidence for it.

"Sasuke", Izumi said. "Why don´t you just take a shower and I´ll tell you what Itachi-kun wants after you come out?"

Pushing himself off the wall, the barista went for his much-needed shower, leaving the couple alone. Itachi nodded for Izumi to close the bedroom door, and she did while rolling her eyes.

 _Those brothers, I swear. Always so childish._

* * *

The mall was full of crowds of people, groups, pairs or people who were shopping alone, like him. Before he went to buy groceries, Sasuke decided to kill time at other stores. Izumi was still by Itachi´s side, and he wanted to offer them some privacy before he got home again. Itachi was obsessed with studying for his master in psychology, so he hadn´t much time to spend with his fiance. This was their opportunity to make up for it, and Sasuke respected that.

The Uchiha came to stand in front of some winter jackets and coats. It was getting colder since autumn and winter were coming. Actually, he had enough jackets, but he wanted to buy himself khaki ones for a long time now. He decided that he would wait until they were put on sale, and proceeded to go further into the store.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke´s eyes widened, and he stopped. The voice was all too familiar, it was the one he embarrassedly dreamed about at night, the one he heard every day at his working place.

He shook his head, and decided that he must hear ghosts already. Was he turning into a psycho?

"Sa-su-ke-kuuun!"

Yes, he was a psycho, he knew. A psycho with the worst luck it seemed. Sasuke breathed deeply and turned around, slowly.

 _No way._

There she was, his pink-haired customer, with the jade eyes and breath-taking smile, waving happily at him from the doors of the store.

Sasuke knew, he must be cursed.

* * *

"So, what are you doing here?"

Sasuke shrugged, and said, "Just walking around."

Sakura smiled, as always, eyes sparkling, "How nice to meet you here! I just came around to …"

Sasuke didn´t listen, having dark rhoughts already; He, Sasuke Uchiha, son of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha, must have been born with a curse. Sasuke believed in that, especially now. There were millions of people in Konoha. It was a _huge_ place. So _how did he meet_ her _of all people right there at the mall, where hundreds, maybe thousands of people were shopping? How?_

"… and then I saw you and I just had to say hi!", Sakura finished her sentence, finally.

 _Next time_ , Sasuke thought, _I will come here undercover. I will dye my hair, I will change my eye colour, everything._

"Hn."

"So how´ve you been?"

"Fine."

He didn´t smile. Not at all.

"Oh! Nice! Me too!"

Sakura still smiled, but didn´t say anything. She looked sheepishly around, instead. Just as Sasuke wanted to say that he was leaving the mall, she spoke up again.

"Say, Sasuke?"

He blinked.

 _Oh, no._

Every time she used _that_ tone on him, she was about to ask for something.

"Yeah?"

She played with her toes on the ground, her hands on her back. She bit her lip, blushed, and looked up to meet his eyes.

He knew what was coming.

"Could you … help me with something?"

He blinked, again.

 _Oh, no no no._

"What is it?"

"Uhhmmm", she bit on her lip again, nervously. "I know this might sound weird, but…you see, all my friends were busy this evening and I mean I asked them but they were busy and now I am here because they were busy and – I meant, I need your help!"

He couldn´t believe that he found her rambling _cute_ , given the situation that he was in. He knew he was doing no good to himself, instead he should just walk away, ignore her, forget about her but…He just _couldn´t_.

"I got that. But what do you need my help for?"

She visibly contemplated and hesitated, then shook her head. "Forget it, this…this is just strange. I am being weird. See you around, Sasu-"

It was a total déjà vu. This reminded him of the situation when she asked to talk to him about her problems. When she excused herself and was about to walk away. When his body moved before his brain did, when he just couldn´t stand it, seeing her so desperate, so sad, that he just wasn´t able to say ´no´.

He gripped her upper arm as she tried to turn around, to make her look at him.

"Sakura", he said. It was the first time he dropped her name during this conversation. "There is something bothering you, obviously. Just tell me and we will see if I can help."

He regretted it the second his words left his mouth. Of course, he couldn´t resist that expression on her face. Of course, he had to chime in and offer support. Of course, he was an idiot in love, wrapped around those tiny fingers of hers.

There has never been a woman who could control Sasuke Uchiha as much as this one with even only a facial expression. It scared him.

"I…I need some help…with clothes shopping", the pinkette blurted out, pouting with her lips like a child that asked their mother to buy them sweets.

 _That_ was a face Sasuke couldn´t resist _either_. He sighed, internally.

"What kind of clothes?"

 _Did she just…honestly ask me to help her with shopping?_

The sparkle in her jade eyes showed that she was opening up to him again, they looked relieved, as if she got rid of the burden on her heart. Also, her eternal smile returned, slowly. "I need a dress. An elegant one."

"A dress?", Sasuke said. He still couldn´t believe his ears. _Am I seriously going to go dress shopping with her?!_

"Yes!", Sakura was more eager for this than Sasuke would have liked. She clapped her hands together in front of her chest, making big puppy eyes at him. "You´re going to help, right?", her eyes shined, a bright, bright green, "Please, Sasuke-kun?"

 _No, there was no way he could ever resist those eyes._

"Hn."

 _I am screwed. And cursed. I know it._

* * *

"What about this one?"

"No."

"And this one?"

"No."

"Oh, ok. Hmm, that green one over there?"

"No."

"Why are you always saying ´no´?! _Shannaro_!"

They settled for a store for evening dresses Sasuke recommended. He always bought his suits here, he said, claiming it was the best one in the inner city. Sakura immediately trusted his words, knowing that he must know better than her anyways, with the way he dressed himself (she was of the opinion that he had quite the nice style). Thus, they went there, Sakura filling him in on what happened this week at the hospital, and he listened. It was peaceful until they reached the store. Lots of beautiful dresses were there, so many that Sakura didn´t know where to look first. She loved every single one of them, and didn´t hesitate to run through the store, grabbing at least ten dresses on the way and going to the dressing room – with Sasuke following her like a faithful puppy.

There was only the tiny problem that Sasuke didn´t like any of her chosen dresses. _Any_.

"First of all", he started, after Sakura sat down next to him on the seats. The annoyed pout on her lips was very visible. "You pick the wrong colours. I mean, dark blue? Seriously?" He pointed at her dress she was currently wearing.

She shrugged, and continued pouting. "I wanted to try something new…"

"Try something that actually suits you."

"Do you want to help or do you want to be a jerk?", she countered, crossing her arms in front of her chest, blushing.

Sasuke crossed his hands behind his head and laid his right foot on his knee. He tried to relax, really. Shopping alone was never a big deal for him, but – as much as he liked her company – he disliked shopping with other people.

"Red suits you."

"But I _always_ wear red!"

"It still suits you." He peeked at her from the side. Her silence made him talk again, "Why do you want to try something new?"

She shrugged. "I don´t know. I just…I want to pay more attention to my appearance."

"What?", Sasuke smirked. Now he actually turned his head to her. "Are you feeling weird because you don´t like your style again?"

She nudged him, playfully. "Oh, shut up." She smirked and mimicked Sasuke´s voice, " _Can you fly, too_?"

The barista rolled his eyes, and stood up. "Wait here. I will look for a dress."

"You? Why are you going alo-", Sakura was about to stand up as well, but Sasuke gestured for her to stay there.

"Sit down and wait. Just trust me."

* * *

It took him about three minutes to find the perfect dress for Sakura. It wasn´t because he didn´t searched for real, because he didn´t have enough interest, or not because he wanted to get it over with very fast. There were hundreds of dresses in the store, but he looked for _the_ dress. It would be the one that would fit Sakura perfectly. The one that looked like it would be only meant for her, the one that belonged to her, because everything about the dress would say _Sakura Haruno_.

He wanted to choose the dress _he_ would _love_ to see on her, because only then, he thought, the dress would be worth to be wore by her. It was only perfection he thought was worthy of her, and only perfection he would offer her.

Sasuke sat on the seats by the changing rooms, again. This time, though, it felt like waiting for hours. Time passed too slowly, yet his imaginations very quickly. Pictures of her, wearing that beautiful dress, on different occasions and scenarios. In a park, at a restaurant, by the beach…

What made his head shake itself from these images was the problem that he imagined _him_ standing next to her as well. How much would he give for the opportunity to make this image reality? No, the real question was: Was it worth the try? Would it not all break down at some point? Because it was never meant to be from the beginning?

"How do I look, Sasuke-kun?"

 _Red_.

There was only _red_.

The colour of _passion_.

 _Beauty._

 _Longing._

 _Desire._

 _Love._

It was a long dress, sleeveless, shoulders free. There was only one colour: red. The material wasn´t too luxurious, nor cheap. It was enough to be elegant, and ladylike, but not too special. He liked her simple best, because simple suited her best. If the dress would draw all attention to itself, how would she be able to shine through? Her pink hair, her eyes? Her _smile_?

This was how he liked her best. When she wore just red, simple red.

Together with her blushing and smiling at him, he knew he laid eyes on the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. The most beautiful scene he ever _wanted_ to see.

Sasuke stood up from his seat, because one doesn´t sit in front of their queen.

"Perfect", he breathed.

Her eyes widened, and she remembered.

.

.

.

 _"… How do I look?"_

 _Sasuke let two seconds of a meaningful pause fill the gap between them, then answered._

 _"Perfect."_

 _Sakura snorted unladylike. "Is that a way to compliment a woman? You should normally go with something like ´beautiful´."_

 _Sasuke only shrugged his shoulders, nonchalantly. "It´s what came to my mind when I saw you."_

 _The pinkette rolled her eyes and huffed. "Do you compliment other women like that, too? Perfect?"_

 _"Hn." Sasuke stepped back and turned so Sakura had enough space to step out of the building. After she closed the door, they faced each other again._

 _"Beautiful, is only beautiful. Perfect, means that you topped all my expectations. Perfect." He stressed the last word and gave her an honest smirk. "To answer your question. You´re the first woman I called perfect. …"_

.

.

.

"Thank you", Sakura smiled wider, eyes sparkling. There was this strange feeling in her chest again. She knew it was utter happiness, and gratitude.

She knew it couldn´t be something else than friendly feelings.

"Sasuke-kun."

* * *

"Thanks again, Sasuke-kun. I don´t think I would´ve found a better dress without you."

"Considering your bad tastes, that´s for sure."

"Hey!"

They chuckled together, light-heartedly. After Sakura bought the dress, she offered Sasuke that she would accompany him on his own shopping trip, to offer help. The trip became a long walk through various stores throughout the mall because "Sasuke-kun, wait! I saw a nice jacket over there!" and "Did you ever go into that store on the left, Sasuke-kun? No? Let´s go together then!" It ended with a visit to a café. Sakura bought Sasuke a cup of tea, and herself a macchiato.

She never dropped the "kun" that evening. He, on the other hand, never heard himself talking as much.

The chuckling died down slowly, and allowed him to talk again, "What do you need the dress for anyways?"

The question was unexpected, since he never asked about anything about her so directly, and with visible interest.

But it had a reason.

She would wear the dress he had chosen, the dress Sasuke thought worthy of her, the dress he would love to see her in. It was only meant for her, to be a gift to her perfect beauty.

Her following blush and averting eyes showed how much she was excited and nervous about _that_ person.

"I´m going on a date tomorrow."

 _A breaking mind._

"…Date?"

"Yes! It´s that one guy I told you about! He asked me again and showed how sorry he was for postponing the date, but no he is back in Konoha!"

 _A breaking heart._

"I…I…see."

"Isn´t that great, Sasuke-kun?"

 _Jealousy, and the feeling of being fooled by someone you love._

 _Fooled by love._

 _That´s what it was._

"I have to go now."

 _That´s what hardens the heart._

"W-what?"

He stood up, his expression as blank as ever. "See you", he said before walking away. It prevented her to ask more questions.

.

.

.

 _"… Just listen to yourself. It´s like you talk about politics or a business treatment. There is something you miss out. The most important thing."_

 _"Which is?"_

 _Sakura looked back at him, smiling honestly._

 _"Love."_

 _Sasuke didn´t answer to that, giving Sakura space to elaborate._

 _"I think if someone really loves somebody, he or she wouldn´t mind the bad behaviour or quirks of their partner."_

 _"That´s not how real life works."_

 _"You can´t understand because you are a man."_

 _Sasuke snorted. "So, you say if there is someone you love, you will endure every bad thing he does?"_

 _Sakura didn´t need to think about that. "Of course."_

 _"Even if he hurts you?"_

 _"You don´t understand, dummy."_ _Sakura turned around a little, to face Sasuke better. "It´s not about what I get back in return. It´s about what I already feel for the person." Sakura rested her arm on the back of the bench. "If someone really loves somebody, the person would do everything to get their love onto the right track. They would endure so long as it takes for their partner to love them back."_

 _"And if that person doesn´t receive love in return?"_

Like it is with me?

Like it is with …

 _…_ _them?_

 _Sakura thought again, staring into the distance. "I don´t know."_

 _Sasuke nodded, expecting such an answer._

 _"But I know what I´d do."_

 _"You do?"_

 _"Yes." Sakura smiled at Sasuke, so honest, innocent and naïve it was breath-taking for him. "I´d wish for that person to find their happiness. And I´d help them with it. …"_

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _It hurt._

 _It hurt so much that he couldn´t bear it._

 _To endure the hurt for the person you love?_

 _Because when they are happy, you are happy as well?_

He didn´t know about other people, but those words held no truth for him. They would never, if the pain he felt would not be replaced by something else.

It was the dress, and the fact that _he_ chose it. He helped her being beautiful for someone else. Being perfect for someone else. Breath-taking.

 _Perfect_.

The way _he_ liked her best. _Loved_ her best.

If he chose a dress for her, he wanted her to wear it for _him_ and no one else. It was their dress, because they found it together, it was a piece of memory he wanted only to be theirs. There was no place for someone else in this memory of that dress, especially no other man. Forget the dress, he didn´t want to share _her_ with any man.

 _Since when did he grow so possessive of her?_

It was time to let go. It was time to clear his mind.

It was time to find things to distract himself, he decided.

But things weren´t going to turn out like he would have expected.

* * *

 _Fin._

* * *

AN: Yes, dear readers! I finally updated!

1: I am so sorry it´s been so long! I didn´t forget about the fic, don´t worry! I´ve just been busy with school and a little bit on my tumblr site.

2: I am really curious if I broke your heart as much as my own with the dress thing? I mean, imagine Sasuke, helping her finding a dress that is meant for the eyes of another man? And he didn´t know about that because he tried to keep passive and distanced?

3: ANNOUNCEMENT: I am going on hiatus until April, but will come back with at least one update for Caramella. Promise, promise! Also, I started a new story "A Tragedy: Doves In Cages" based on a request on my tumblr page. It´s posted already, so go take a look if you want!

4: THANK YOU SO SO MUCH FOR ALL THE FOLLOWS AND FAVS! Also, big thanks for the REVIEWS! Here is a comment to each new of them:

 **Guest A: Love the bromance :) oh who was that :o**

Glad you liked the bromance, haha! I tried it again in this chap. I do that because Itachi will have a big role in this fic later. To the "who was that?" haha well, I only can say that this person isn´t quite fond of Sasuke. You will see who and why later, as well.

 **Guest: This is bloody amazing!**

#cries Thank you so so much! It means a lot when people review like you do!

 **Androjack: YOU ARE AMAZING! I REALLY LIKE THIS. THE BEST I ENCOUNTERED IN YEARS**

OMG THIS WAS SO AMAZING TO READ! "Best I encountered in years" really got me omg. I am feeling so grateful, thanks for the encouraging words!

So, that was it for now. Please leave such awesome reviews again! Criticism is nice to read as well, if you explain why!

Thanks again, see you in April! And be sure to check out "A Tragedy: Doves In Cages" as well!

Beat^^


	12. Because We Are Stupid

**_For A Cup Of Caramella_**

* * *

The sickening smell of sweat was everywhere, matching his sickening mood. As much as he wiped the sweat off his face, he was feeling dirty. He never wanted to stop, enjoying the distraction from everything that went south that evening. He coughed, there was spit in his mouth, begging to be washed away with fresh water.

 _One hit. Two. A kick._

The punching bag echoed with the hits and kicks and punches he gave. It went on for hours already, him never willing to stop. The frustration had built up inside, together with the anger and embarrassment and everything that attacked his pride. _Was it her fault? Was it his fault? Was it the dress´ fault?_

He shook his head.

 _Punch, punch, punch._

He wouldn´t care anymore. He was done with it.

 _He was a fool._

* * *

 ** _Chapter 12_**

 ** _"Because We Are Stupid"_**

* * *

He yelled with the last punch he gave, drops of sweat flying through the air. His fist rested on the punching bag, eyes closed, mind visiting a foreign place. A place wide away from the fitness studio he was training in.

It had been only a few hours since he had spent his time with Sakura at the mall. Hours after he chose that red dress.

 _A dress she would wear for someone else…_

He shook his head again, and let the punching bag alone. His back hit the grey wall as he sat down on the ground. Sasuke drank what was left in his water bottle, and leaned the back of his head on the wall. Wet, black hair met the cold, hard place. It helped cooling his head down, even if only for a little. As he closed his eyes, he wasn´t surprised by what he saw.

 _Pink and green._

"Even if I close my eyes to escape…", black orbs opened slowly, heavy with a dreaming gaze, "…you´re still here."

With a deep sigh did he look over to the old clock hanging on the grey wall. It was past midnight. A glance on his phone showed him that he missed thiry-two calls coming from his brother, and another twenty-four from Naruto. He picked his phone up and dialled Itachi´s number. As much as he hated himself and the world at that moment, Sasuke couldn´t make it worse for Itachi. He had more important things to tend to than worrying over his foolish little brother.

* * *

His head was facing the ground on his walk home. It was dark and most lights were out. It was better that way. He wished he was invisible at that moment, to others and to himself. As much as he couldn´t wait any less for sleep to wash away his thoughts, there was also the thought of waking up when the sun rose. And after waking up, there was his morning routine, followed by working in the café. She would visit there again telling him how excited she was for the _date_. How grateful she was for having him as a _friend_ , who was such a _fool_ for choosing that dress in the first place.

"Tch."

A cold feeling spread over his neck as he stopped. He turned around. There was a feeling as if someone was close behind him…

 _Is someone following me?_

He checked his surroundings, his eyes roaming around the place. There was no one.

 _Am I getting paranoid now?_

The walk home continued as Sasuke occupied himself with different thoughts than pink, red and date. Although he was successful for the first time that night, he did not appreciate it at all that it was because of that strange feeling in his gut and on his neck.

It was still there when he fell asleep at about four am in the morning.

* * *

"We´re almost good to go, teme!"

It was the last minutes until the café closed that evening. The baristas were quite busy, with all the customers coming in and going out. It was like any other day, being said that it was as tiring as ever. There was one change, though, which Naruto noticed immediately after he saw his best friend for the first time on that day.

Sasuke talked less, ate less, and worked harder than normally.

 _Why?_

Naruto had no idea. His friend wasn´t one to talk much anyways, but it was never this extreme.

 _Well, never since in the old days, when things happened…_

The day started strange from the beginning. There was a call by Sasuke, at little past 6 am. He demanded of Naruto to take his training stuff with him, to accompany him on training after work. Naruto agreed, obviously troubled by the fact that Sasuke was acting strange. It wasn´t normal behaviour, even for Sasuke, because Naruto thought that something was definitely wrong with that Uchiha anyways. This time, though, it was even _worse_.

"Did ya hear, Sasuke? We´re going to train, right?"

The dark barista gave his friend a little glance before he nodded. Naruto raised one eyebrow at Sasuke and decided to start the serious conversation. There weren´t any customers present so it was the perfect timing.

"So", Naruto leaned onto the counter by the coffee beans, "Wanna tell me why you look like someone spit constantly on your face today?"

Dark eyes were rolling at his comment. It showed Naruto that he needed way more persuasion to engage his friend into talking.

"Sa-su-ke!", Naruto whined. "What happened, man?! You´ve been shutting your mouth all day today!"

The Uchiha continued to wipe the coffee machine clean, only with more pressure and aggressiveness.

"Hey! Are you even listeni-?!"

"Excuse me?"

There was a silent question coming from a woman who just had entered the café. She had opened the door slightly, letting her head peek inside. It was clear that she was hesitant to enter, knowing that it was little past closing time.

There was a pleased look upon Sasuke´s face as he observed Naruto´s agape mouth, making it unable for him to let out another sound.

"I hope I don´t disturb you two", the woman said, "but when I saw you were still working I thought I could ask for a late evening coffee?"

The blonde´s mouth moved, stuttering. A tilting of her head showed how she tried to follow Naruto´s word. Sasuke chimed in before his friend would make himself even more miserable.

The dark barista nodded, "Yeah. We haven´t closed officially yet." It sure insulted Naruto´s pride, but he closed his mouth for his friend took over from there. He was thankful in a way, although disappointed of himself.

"Your name was Hinata, right?", Sasuke asked, black pen ready in hand to write her name on her cup. She smiled and said, "Yes."

It was silent from there on, only the coffee machine´s pooring sounds were heard. It was so embarrassing that Naruto would´ve loved to vanish into the stack room in the back. Sasuke, on the other hand, was thankful for the distraction. If he would not have been Sasuke, he would have sincerely thanked Hinata later, but he was Sasuke, so he took things as they were.

Hinata´s name was written on her cup and her coffee inside, so she said her goodbyes. She looked directly at Naruto as she smiled sweetly, finding a delighting sight on the man. "I wish you two a good night."

"Likewise", Sasuke nodded.

The woman left, not once looking back.

The men were left again, alone, this time brooding together. Even if Sasuke would never say it out loud, silent Naruto was more unnerving to him than loud Naruto. Silent Naruto was never a good sign. As the air around them was becoming heavy on their shoulders and suffocating to their minds, Sasuke patted Naruto´s back, showing him his support.

"Let´s get done here and leave, shall we?"

* * *

"Whenever she is around, I can´t find any words to say. It´s so frustrating", Naruto sighed, exhausted, "Believe it."

Sasuke nodded to every word Naruto said, sincerely listening. This might have been the fifth time he listened to his friend´s love problems but he did not address that fact once. The blonde had helped him out so many times, this was just a little part of Sasuke´s payback.

"This is not like me at all. What´s wrong with me, Sasuke?"

They sat on the ground on an open basketball field, leaning their heads on the walls behind them. Black and blue observed the ocean of stars above, only little light illuminating their faces. Naruto played with the basketball in his lap, to reduce his nervousness.

"Everything about you was always wrong."

Fingers stopped playing with the basketball, a blonde head unbelievingly turning to the side. Sasuke´s head followed soon, turning to Naruto. There were shared smirks, and then chuckles and best friends´ laughters, echoing together until stomachs hurt.

"And you´ve always been a bastard", the blonde said in between hiccups.

"Tch."

They sighed, relishing in the little moment of brotherly bond.

"For real, though. What happened to me?"

Sasuke thought, eyelashes closing and opening slowly, the dim light shining in coal eyes.

He shrugged, " _Love_?"

Naruto scoffed, burying his head between his arms, resting his chin on his knees. His neck was red, as were his ears, a stark contrast to his blonde locks.

He sighed again, his arms and hands letting go of his head, this time hugging his legs. Sasuke grabbed an energy drink from his left, opening the can and taking a sip

"How´s it going for you?"

Sasuke shook his head, letting it tilt to the side, "Don't even ask, Naruto."

The blonde nodded, in deep understanding, "I wondered why she didn´t visit today. Guess there was a special reason to it, right?"

There was silence, and there was even more understanding. Naruto nodded again, patted Sasuke´s leg and stood up. He stretched, turning around to look at his friend. "Need to go home. Mom´s waiting for me and, well, you know how she gets."

Sasuke looked back at Naruto, "I´m staying for a little longer"

Naruto blinked, "Why?"

There was a careless shrug, "Just don´t feel like going home yet."

The blonde rubbed his eyes and lifted his bag up, "Whatever you say. Don´t stay here for too long, though. Itachi´s gonna worry for you, dude."

"I know."

Their fists met, and they said their goodbyes. The Uchiha was left behind, with his dink in hand.

* * *

It was almost midnight when he found himself on the streets again, facing the darkness and the faint lights on his way through the village. Why was it that he felt most secure in the dark? Because he was not seen by anyone? Because there were no colours around? Only grey and dark? So there was nothing that could him make _remember_?

 _What was there to remember anyways?_

They had known – no, they had only _seen_ each other over the last two years. That date and little conversations they had shared in those last weeks were the only memories worth thinking about, whereas they were the worst ones he had. What was there to remember from those memories? That she was unreachable? That they would be friends, nothing more? That she wanted someone who was in her league, something he was not at all? Something he would never be? She had shown him what a ninja was capable of…would she expect the same from him? Even if he was not capable of doing such things?

 _He was such a fool for falling for her more and more._

There was a sigh, and a shaking head.

 _Love, huh?_

Where was she at that moment? What was she doing? Laughing with her new date? Chuckling and giggling? Would she show him her angelic voice as well? Would they _hug_? Would they _kiss_?

 _Would she be wearing that red dress he had chosen for her?_

He released the empty can in his hand, so his foot met it, letting it fly over the almost empty road. He did it after he spotted someone sitting on a bench nearby. He knew who that person was. He knew her, and he was disturbed by the expression on her face. It screamed _hurt_ and _disappointment_ , so he could not walk away, pretending as if he did not see.

The can met the bench, eliciting a loud metallic sound in the process.

 _Why could he not look away?_

"Hey!"

 _This was not love. This was torture._

He was pulled out of his dark thoughts as he heard the voice coming from the direction his can flew to, already regretting that little move he just did.

"Don´t you have any manners, eh?!"

She did not recognize him. It was due to the darkness of the night, mixed with the darkness beneath his hood. It was a chance he could take, just letting it go and leaving at the spot. He would go home, resting alone. He would not need to deal with her today. There was no motivation of him to see her anyways – _since she must had been occupied with other things that day._

 _But of course, as the fool that he was, he could not, never, ever say ´no´ to her._

 _He could not say ´no´ to love._

"I´m sorry."

These words held more than a simple sorry for disturbing her with the can. These words were more than a simple apology for poor manners. These were words that held a far deeper apology for everything that he dad done, and he would do in the future.

 _I truly am._

"Sasuke-kun?"

Her voice was happy and excited as she stood up, and it made him cringe. Any other male would feel flattered to hear such a beautiful woman like her calling for them by their name. They would be proud about her changing expression. When it had been miserable just before, it was full of relief now. His name held a special weight when she said it, but he was not delighted by it. Not anymore.

Sasuke reluctantly strolled towards Sakura. Something was wrong with her. He knew it the moment he saw her on the bench, sitting alone, so sorrowful and left alone. If not for the dress she wore, he would say that guy she had a date with rejected her again. It was just another reassurance to Sasuke that that guy did not deserve her. If they had their date, what was the girl doing here alone at night? Why was she sitting here, so deep in thought? Why was she so disappointed? Why did she look so worried?

Sasuke approached her reluctantly, asking "What´s wrong?"

Her smile fell a little. Those pink eyebrows furrowed the same way he remembered them doing it when she was worried. It felt surreal for him that he could read her mimics already.

She looked down, and sighed, "You just know me too well, don´t you?"

He stood in front of her, his bag slung over his shoulder. He stank, he was ragged, he was exhausted and tired from working and training.

She stood in front of him, fresh and looking most dashing in her red dress. She was pretty, beautiful, her perfume filling his nostrils like oxygen.

 _They could not be more different, even in this tiny moment._

"Do I?", he smiled, sadly, because it was the most cynical question he ever asked.

She smiled back, not even having a clue about the troubles he had when he talked to her.

"It seems so." She titled her head to the side, starting her teasing, "Else you would not have found me here. Say", she grinned, definitely teasing now, "Do you have a radar for my problems somewhere hidden inside your pockets?"

"Tch", he scoffed, letting himself fall on the bench, "I´m your girl buddy, remember?"

She giggled, and took a seat herself, careful with her dress. He noticed that. "Sorry I didn´t come over today. Had lots of preparation to do", she explained. He understood, of course. He _knew_ , of course.

 _The date was on his mind the whole day._

"Figured that", he responded. "Was sitting alone on a bench at midnight planned, too?"

She crossed her arms and outstretched feet. Her back met the bench, and she sank into it. She looked troubled, and it bothered him to no end.

 _What happened?_

She looked over to him, looking like she was sorry for something. "I bugged you so much because of this dress", she gestured towards it, "but tonight didn´t turn out as good as I thought it would."

She huffed.

"It still suits you."

Sakura scoffed, and laughed. He did not try to hide his smirk either. Sasuke made himself comfortable on the bench, like when they had held the serious conversation in front of the café, back then.

 _It was but a déja vu._

"Thanks for the compliment", she said, and she smiled. Brightly, like she always did when she saw him.

A silence overtook them as neither he responded nor she said more. They were more silent hesitant than ever in their conversations. There was something about the other that held them back from talking, but neither of them could tell what it was.

 _Their connection felt different than before._

"Won´t you ask me how my date was?", she asked with hesitance given away by her slightly shaking voice.

There was a stiffness to Sasuke´s shoulders as he answered. There was agitation, and there was holding himself back. "It´s none of my business." He did not look at her. He did not _want_ to look at her.

"You´re always doing that but I still don´t understand why."

As he finally turned to look at her, he saw her mild expression. There was neither a happy, nor a sad smile. It was a smile of bitterness, a smile that searched for understanding.

He asked, "What do you mean?" He did not mean it but his voice came out as annoyed as he felt at that moment.

 _Why am I even bothering with her?_

A hand pulled back pink locks of hair behind a tiny ear, while black eyes were watching their movements, "You first try to seem uninterested in what I say or what I do. The more we spend time together, though, the more you show that you actually care." She tilted her head to the side.

"Why do you do that, Sasuke-kun?"

His hand curled into a fist, and his heart to a stone.

 _Because I want to stay away from you, and at the same time want to be closer to you._

"You must imagine things."

The smile faded, replaced by a disappointed straight line, appearing together with furrowed pink brows. "…If you say so."

He didn´t respond.

And suddenly, there was a pout, "Since you will ask me sooner or later, I will just talk. This is punishment for you being a jerk right now!" Her finger accused him of the same thing too, since it wiggled in front of his face. It did not last long, though, since he brushed it off with his own hand. Sasuke would keep his cool composure, no matter what happened. He promised that to himself.

"So", Sakura started, "I was really excited about it. As I told you before; I waited for him to ask me out for months now!"

 _I´ve been waiting to talk to you for years now._

"Everything was gorgeous, to be honest. He picked me up at the time I told him to, we went to a restaurant, we talked and he asked to walk me home."

She sighed, looking up, "It was a perfect date, to be honest."

As there were no more words leaving her mouth, Sasuke waited patiently. He knew that if Sakura stopped to talk, it was only to gather her thoughts together. After that, she would talk again.

Except she didn´t.

So, he asked, "However?"

She sighed, very deeply. There was something bothering her, obviously. She closed her eyes, waited, and opened them again to meet his. Their eyes were searching, yet finding nothing on the other side.

"But it wasn´t the same…when I was with you."

Black eyes widened, and looked away, ears abashed by what they heard. He was unprepared for something like this. He was unprepared for the influence he had on her. This was not the way he wanted things to go to. He wanted her to forget, but now she claimed that their date was better than the one she just had?

He mumbled an apology, but it went unheard by her ears. She should have listened better, though, since it went deeper than an easy apology.

"He is one of the strongest ninja in Konoha, you know. Actually, he is the only one who currently can match me in a fight and by status…"

There was a deep inhale, and a deeper exhale.

He said, "Exactly the type I pictured for you", and he did not lie.

Her head whipped to the side, pink locks flowing with the motion, some of them delicately falling on her soft lips, "Really?"

He avoided looking at her again.

 _"…_ _Her dream is to become Hokage one day. She needs someone who can support her on that. Someone who is worth for the future Hokage. An elite ninja, the strongest ninja of the Leaf, someone like that. …Not a former street smart bad boy like me … Not a simple barista like me …"_

He said, "Yeah", and she blushed.

* * *

They were walking towards her home. They were not as close as before, but also not as far apart. After Sakura had sensed that something was wrong about Sasuke, she did not push him much that night. He seemed off, distanced and troubled by something. She asked what was wrong of course, but he shook it off, saying he was just tired.

It was a night where more secrets were hidden than the times before, where there was a dialogue where conversations were started but not finished. Their talk broke in the middle of every topic she tried to discuss with him. Even if he answered, there was no progress. Something was definitely off, and it bothered her to no end.

Her mind was everything but clear that night.

"Thanks for accompanying me home."

There was a nod, and an empty look. She knew he was done talking, but _she_ wasn´t.

"Look, Sasuke-kun", her tone was lower, more serious, yet on a friendly level. "I got that something was bothering you today, and I feel bad about it. If it was troubling you that much than you should´ve just left me alone or tried to talk to me about it. We´re friends", his brows furrowed just the slightest bit, "and I respect it if there are things you don´t want to share with me." She smiled, reassuring him she was honest with what she continued to say, "So I would´ve understood if you wanted to be alone tonight. I assume you were worried about me or else you wouldn´t have come my way. I noticed that you sometimes almost were about to tell me about what was on your mind. So, I will do this one last time." She took a step forward, for she wanted to be closer to him when sincerely asking, "Was there something you want to tell me?"

It was a chance he could take. He did not even need to ask for she offered it herself. He would not tell her everything though, but he would ask one question, its answer bothering him since the only one who could give that answer was _her_.

"Did he treat you well?"

He thought he could not endure it. He thought what she said was wrong. He thought that love did not mean to endure, to endure as long as your loved one was happy.

 _He was wrong, and she was right._

She first looked surprised, then worried, then sourly happy. She knew he would show that he cared – just later, as always. _Thank you so much for being considerate, Sasuke-kun._

She smiled, and put her hands behind her, saying, "He did. There was nothing wrong about the way he treated me. He was as nice as a gentleman could ever be."

He looked uninterested, but his words said otherwise, "You didn´t look like your date went well, though. Back when you sat on the bench." He stressed the last word, " _Alone_."

Sakura shook her head. She played with her fingers, biting her lip, "Everything was alright. The only thing that was off was…that _you_ weren´t there."

It was at that point that he could not hold his composure anymore. It was after hearing her words that his lips slightly moved away from each other, and that his eyes widened. It was then that his heart beat faster, and faster, as if it was in a hurry.

 _Should I ask her…?_

She continued, "I will tell you something now but you must promise to keep it to yourself. It will be our little secret!"

She looked so determined that she was cute in his eyes. He felt himself watching an innocent girl doing a pinky promise with him. He nodded, telling her ´yes´. However, more importantly…

 _Is she going to say that…?_

 _"I mean", Itachi started. "What if she is the one who wants to take a step further one day?"_

 _Sasuke startled at that. He never thought of this possibility before._

 _"What if she wants to start a relationship?"_

 _"That´s ridiculous. Sakura would never do that, she said so-"_

 _"But what if? What will you do then?"_

"My first date", she started, "was very exciting, very funny, and so beautiful! I had so much fun I feared I might never feel like that again. I was so happy on that date and he couldn´t make me as happy as back then. I was a little disappointed because of that tonight."

"And my first date", she said, and waited a little, "Was with _you_ , Sasuke-kun."

There was a pang in his chest. And there was regret.

 _Regret, regret, regret!_

She sheepishly smiled, "Maybe that´s why I have such high expectations when it comes to dates in general?", she shrugged, as if it was the understandable thing in the world.

Her words held more weight than she thought. It was just like the time when they were talking on the bench in front of the café. When she said that they were inseparable as a doctor and her coffee-supplier. When she said that they were meant forever. That he was _her most important person_.

Sasuke felt way more number than before in that moment. He wasn´t sure who got more involved in their relationship between them. He wasn´t sure who would break more if things went south.

 _And my first date… was with you, Sasuke-kun._

This was no game. This was no play. This was getting serious and he did not know what to do with it. He wasn´t the only one who was slowly falling. He knew she did, too. He saw it in her eyes, in the way they were shining at him. He saw it in those smiles that were only meant for him to see, since they only appeared when he was around. This was no game. This was no play.

 _This was slowly burning love that was meant to hurt._

He smiled.

 _This was bittersweet love._

He was sad.

 _This was love that was sweet to the first bite, but painful to the taste._

"I see."

She saw him, smiling, but did not see the worry inside. She saw him smiling and smiled back, as if she was meant to do it.

 _She was such a fool._

* * *

The way home felt more exhausting than before. There was a regretful frown set on lips, not wanting to leave. There was regret, and the hurting feeling inside his soul that came with wrong decisions.

 _But were they truly wrong?_

There had been conversations. There had been shared looks, smiles and chuckles. There had been helpful and encouraging words. There had been a date. There had been fun and laughter, friendship and maybe _something more_.

 _But was it truly something more?_

There had been hope for something more. There had been expectations. There had been regret and hurt caused by a dress meant for another man´s eyes. There had been a second date.

Lastly, there had been the two of them again. It had been only the two of them again, although on that night she was meant to be together with someone else.

 _Was he more worthy than that other person? Was he truly good enough for her?_

 _Was he who she wanted?_

 _Was he who she would choose?_

 _Was he who made her fall for him?_

As these thoughts flew in his mind, he stopped as he entered his home.

"What did I do?", he asked himself, breathing a silent whisper.

* * *

 _Fin._

* * *

 _ **Beat´s Note:** _

_So I am sorry it took me so long! Things didn´t go as I planned them and yeah here we are. I hope you still enjoyed this chapter! As you see, Sasuke is still unsure and troubled on the inside, Sakura is just...naive...unexperienced...in love? And poor Naruto! This will continue for a few more chapters. What´s good is that I took detailed notes of the first few arcs of this story until I hit the major turning point. Also, I want to focus on this fic a lot, so it could be that there will more recent updates, especially since I have my detailed notes I just talked about, but I won´t promise anything!_

 **Guest** : Can't wait for more

My can´t wait for more guest xdd. It´s nice to see that you still follow my story haha

 **Skillet** : Oh Sakura so dense lol! Poor sasuke. This is awesome man! Keep up the good work!

awwww thanks, you´re awesome! And lol I actually commented on Sakura being so dumb on my Tumblr page xDD. It really gets on my nerves, which is funny since I am the author lol.

 **Guest** : I love this story so much. I can't wait for you to update it. I will wait until you put a new chapter on F.F.

Awwww your love and patience is appreciated! i really do try, guys, I just need to find some time to sit in my favourite café and just type. I finished this in one session I went there last time xD

 **Green Eyed Girl** : April?! Ok, a little bit disappointed but I think it's fine as long as you don't abandon this story. Take your time.. I'll be waiting the next update.

So sorry that it even became late April... I wanted to update my other stories, too, but I guess they will have to wait bruh. I love Caramella too much to abandon it though, so don´t worry!

 **Wangz** : Maid sama & awwwww

haha thanks a lot for the reactions! I wanna watch this Maid-sama anime one day!

To the others: I think I pmed you a while back. If not, please let me know!

I love you guys, please continue to support this story! If you want to know more info about the story, just wanna say hi or push me to finally get to write the next chapters pm me or talk to me on Tumblr via Ask Box! Seriously, give me motivation because I only can write like this if I am in the mood bruh

Also: OMG 51 FOLLOWERRRSSSSS AND OVER §= FAVS! THIS IS AMAZING! THANK YOU ALLLL GUYS!

And BIG THANKS TO HER PRETTY SMILE FOR BETAREADING THIIIIIS MI CLOOOONE ^^

~ Beat


	13. Threatening The Heart

_For A Cup Of Caramella_

* * *

They hadn´t talked last night after Sasuke came back to a sleeping Itachi on the couch. His eyes had probably given in while he waited for his little brother, so Sasuke thought. It was no secret that he felt relieved by it. That´s why he decided to prepare a nice breakfast for Itachi the next day, as an earnest, grateful gesture. He was sure his brother would appreciate it – and maybe distract him enough to not ask too much about why Sasuke had come home late last night.

"Do I smell bacon?"

There he stood in the doorway, scratching his sleepy head through his damp hair from the fresh shower.

"Yeah."

Itachi hummed in appreciation and approached his brother, who occupied himself with preparing the table. As Sasuke opened his mouth to start some small talk, Itachi suddenly grabbed him by his neck, forcing him to sit on an empty chair nearby. It was enough to make Sasuke choke on the sentence he was just about to finish speaking.

Itachi did not lessen the grip he had on Sasuke´s neck.

"Would you like to tell me where you were yesterday, little brother?"

* * *

 _Chapter 13_

" _Threatening The Heart"_

* * *

Sasuke´s shoulders tensed at the sudden contact and tightness of Itachi´s grip. Things like this happened only when Itachi was truly furious about something. This had not been the case in a long time, which is why it shocked Sasuke all through his bones. His fault was that he forgot the most important rule when living with siblings.

 _Don´t mess with your big brother._

Itachi made sure that his grip was as threatening and voice as dangerous as possible.

"Talk."

 _What the…!_

" _Now_ , Sasuke."

He didn´t have much time. There were two options which he measured inside his head. Option number one was simply telling the truth. It was not quite pleasant to do so, though. Sasuke knew that his brother would be too concerned after hearing the truth. It was one thing to stay too long for some workout with Naruto, but another to do so because a girl troubled his mind so much that he needed a distraction. Itachi would worry over this, which was the least thing Sasuke wanted him to – _not to forget the amount of teasing and making fun of him, which Sasuke would have to endure later._

The other option was to lie. Even if it was the easier one at first thought, the consequences immediately brought some concern to Sasuke´s mind. Still…

 _No._

His shoulders were tense, almost reaching his ears because of the tight grip Itachi still had on Sasuke´s neck. "I was training with Naruto. You can ask him – _argh_!" Itachi´s grip strengthened, to which Sasuke´s body curled together even more.

"What the hell, nii-san?!"

"Do you truly believe", Itachi said with a warning yet calm voice, "That Kushina-san would let Naruto out after midnight?"

Sasuke´s breath hitched, and he was startled for a second before immediately giving in. He could not argue against this fact, so his brother beat him again. Itachi´s grip tightened one last time as a warning, "I want to hear nothing but the truth, Sasuke. You know that I trust you, but do not forget that I am responsible for you." It was this last sentence that immediately struck Sasuke´s guilty conscious, giving him no other choice than to surrender and spit out the truth.

* * *

"So you say", Itachi ate a piece of bacon while Sasuke sat there, paralysed, as if waiting for an attack by an enemy, "that you killed time on the gym for hours, brooding over a girl?"

They sat there silent for a long while after Sasuke nodded reluctantly. It was clear by Sasuke´s face and the blush on his ears that he was embarrassed and uncomfortable, yet he looked a little grateful since Itachi stayed neutral throughout their whole conversation.

After he swallowed the last bite of his bacon, though, a smirk and a snort escaped Itachi´s lips. Sasuke already groaned loudly since he knew what was coming next.

"You truly lost your touch, little brother."

"I did _not_."

"Then you need advice."

"I do _not_."

"Then", Itachi went on, leaning closer towards Sasuke, who leaned back further away on instinct with a grimace, "you need _guts_."

"Oh, yeah?", a hand suddenly hit the table, and Sasuke leaned closer towards his brother this time, with threatening intent to which Itachi did not flinch even a little. "Try to get yourself a girl who doesn´t give clear signals. One moment I think she is crushing on me, the other she tells me that we´re _just friends_ , claiming that she is so glad about it – _in the innocent way_."

His hands became fists as he continued to talk, "It´s not like I´m not trying from time to time. I tried to approach her years ago, but she stated that she wants a ninja by her side. Could be that her opinion has changed since then, but there´s _no clear evidence_. That´s why I´m not sure if she felt disturbed when I would court her, you understand? I know I would figure out how to win her over with time. There´s just the question _if it´s even worth the try, damnit_!"

This time, Itachi flinched at the sound of Sasuke´s hit on the table. Even if Sasuke was an impatient person in general, to get him this furious took much effort. It was a sign of his little brother´s irritation and frustration, so it was time for the big brother to help him out.

"Tell me what happened yesterday night."

* * *

"This is…very unique."

They were relaxing in their living room while Itachi spent the last hour listening intensely to his little brother´s speech. The more he listened, though, the more he understood why Sasuke was so frustrated with the situation.

"Oh, so you say?"

Sasuke watched Itachi sighing and deeply thinking. He wondered if he himself looked the same when thinking about his relationship with Sakura.

"It´s interesting, though", Itachi went on, scratching his head, deep in thought. "She obviously seeks your company when she needs someone to cheer her up or just listen to her problems…and she appreciates your presence a lot."

Sasuke nodded, already knowing this.

"She can talk to you about everything and everyone…it sounds pretty much like a best-friends-relationship to me." To this, Sasuke groaned and fell down backwards on their couch, grabbing a pillow and hugging it against his face.

"If I hear the word _friends_ again just one more time", he said from beneath the pillow, "I´m going to quit this damn job."

Itachi scoffed and nudged his little brother with his foot, "Stop being a drama queen. You haven't lost this war yet."

The pillow moved for a raised eyebrow to be seen.

"War?"

"A fight for a woman´s heart always leads to a war between men."

Silence.

"…And you call _me_ a drama queen."

"Aynways", Itachi said with a calm voice while throwing a pillow at his little brother, who dodged it effortlessly, "Now let´s talk about what you´re going to do about it."

A bacon landed in Itachi´s mouth while Sasuke kept silent. Itachi munched on it, swallowed it, and asked, "No ideas?"

Sasuke fidgeted with his leg, occupied with uncomfortable thoughts, "I do have ideas. I already said I know how to approach her." Then he sighed. "I´m just not sure if it´s worth it."

"That never stopped you, though", Itachi said, leaning his head on his hand. "You were always the type who gave one hundred per cent, regardless the consequences." He kept a meaningful silence.

"Are you scared?"

"Nii-san…"

"No, really. Are you scared?"

Sasuke sighed, long and wearily, "I´m stepping on unsecure ground. I´m spending time with someone whose relationship with me is not clear. I´m…" Sasuke paused, thinking, then shaking his head with knitted brows, "I´m falling hard, nii-san. I´m not sure but I think she does, too, but maybe subconsciously." Sasuke hummed, trying to find words to explain his already confused thoughts. "It´s just like…she isn´t aware of so many things that happen between us…it´s like she just doesn´t get it."

Itachi held his chin, thinking hard. "Her parents are dead as far as I know." Sasuke shot him an angry glare for stating such a fact so neutrally. "She grew up with very different circumstances than us. I doubt that she ever had a boyfriend before."

 _"And my first date", she said, and waited a little, "Was with_ _you_ _, Sasuke-kun."_

 _This is…true._

"That´s why I suspect that she doesn´t even know how it feels to fall in love, you know?"

This was what gave Sasuke the last push to turn around on the couch and bury his head beneath a set of pillows, back facing his brother.

"Why can´t it never be easy?", Sasuke groaned while Itachi took another bacon and shrugged. The older brother stood up and patted Sasuke´s back.

"Take this as an advantage in your love war", he said while exiting the living room.

"Show her how it feels to fall in love."

* * *

That night Sasuke found himself at the gym again. It was a long night of training but not as bad as the night before. Talking to Itachi was the right decision, he thought, since Sasuke found himself relaxing after that. Even if his brother was an absolute tease when it came to his relationship with Sakura, Sasuke was grateful for the ear he had lent him. It was a very nice feeling to know someone was listening and caring.

After he took a shower at the gym, he put on his extra thick hoody to prevent catching a cold. Itachi would not let him down with it, and Sasuke was not in the mood to get sick as well. The night really turned out to be cold, so he bought himself a warm tea for the walk home. It was nothing special, just something to keep him warm.

He found himself in the darker streets when he had that feeling in his neck again. Sasuke´s steps became slower, bit by bit, until he stopped. He turned around, but there was nothing to see. He was in the middle of a vast plaza, standing alone and looking around to observe all the alleys that were within his sight. There was nothing suspicious in his surroundings, so he turned around to leave as he stumbled against something.

A hard fist met his cheek, letting him fly over the place and landing in a dark side alley. He slid over the ground until he was pulled up by his collar and his head hit the wall behind him. He choked, letting out a loud gasp, and was pushed with more force against the wall again. The hand on his collar pulled him upwards along the wall as he held onto its wrist.

As much as he wanted to escape, the grip on him was too strong for him to withstand.

He was pulled down again, his head throbbing and dizzy. His vision was flashing between black and white, the images blurred and unstable. The smell of iron finally hit his nose, together with the warm, wet feeling of blood in his throbbing mouth.

His ear barely caught the hissing voice coming from the mouth right next to his ear.

"Let this be a warning. Do not get close to the Hokage´s apprentice or you´re going to regretit, _weakling_."

With these words did the hands on his collar let go, and Sasuke stumbled upon the ground, barely able to stand straight. His back hit the wall, his body sliding down, inch by inch. His attacker was nowhere to be seen, so he sat there alone in the dark alley.

 _Do not get close to the Hokage´s apprentice or you´re going to regret it, weakling._

It was the only thing on his mind from then on, when he sat on the ground, ashamed, weak, and furious. When his hands turned to fists, when he grimaced in pain and anger, when his whole body shook in stress.

 _Do not get close to the Hokage´s apprentice or you´re going to regret it, weakling._

He thought about it repeatedly, when he slowly got to his feet, stumbling home. When his eyes blurred with unshed tears, when he sniffed lightly. As he spit the blood and spit from his mouth, as he wanted to desperately fight back, as he regretted that he had _not_ fight back.

 _Do not get close to the Hokage´s apprentice or you´re going to regret it, weakling._

It followed him until he lay in his bed at home, exhausted but restless. It followed him together with thoughts about his family and friends, about the possibility of them being in danger because of _him_. It followed him together with once hopeful thoughts about a love that might have been possible for him to reach, even if it had been nearly out of question – _about a love that was proven to be impossible to reach that night_.

* * *

"Where´s Sasuke-kun?"

There were many customers but only two workers in the café, although it was supposed to be three of them on that day. It´s what made the pinkette worry, especially because it was the working shift of the barista she was looking for – the one who never missed his work.

Naruto scratched his head, looking hesitant, "He´s in the back." He was smiling, but it was easy to see that it was fake. "Taking care of the things in the storage, today."

There was a slow nod with a concerned expression. Sakura hesitated, thinking about how difficult it was for Sasuke to open up to her about his problems. It would be better to give him some space and let it go for now, she said to herself, but would she be really a good friend if she just walked away in such a situation?

"Could I go there to say hi to him? I won´t take too long, I promise."

The relieved smiles on Naruto´s and Ino´s face gave her the reassurance she needed. She walked through the door in the back, then through the kitchen, and finally set eyes on the man she was looking for. His back was turned towards her while he adjusted a few things in the storage rack.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun." Her voice sounded more confident than she actually felt. "How are you doing?"

The man flinched in front of her, attempting to turn his head towards her but suddenly moving it away from her sight. It was enough to let her know that he was hiding something from her.

 _Again._

"Fine."

She suddenly felt her insides constricting at his monotone voice she has never heard like that before, her hand over her chest urging to reach out to him, immediately. Her shoulders tensed, and it suddenly was so difficult to move or say something.

"I, ah, came to see y – "

"I´m working."

His bold rejection felt like ice falling upon her, taking all the warmth from her. There was a feeling of insecurity, a feeling of being at the wrong place, wrong time, as if urging her to walk away before something hurtful would happen.

She choked out, "What´s wrong?"

His movements stopped, and he leaned onto the rack with his hand.

"I don´t have time. I´m working."

The hurt and frustration turned into anger and disappointment. The way he refused to make the effort to only look at her made her knuckles turn white as she spit out, "I would like you to at least show me some respect and to look at my face while we talk."

It was his knuckles getting paler this time, "I said I´m _working_ – "

This was his last thing to say before she forced him to turn around, her hand holding strongly onto his arm.

It was then that she gasped, aloud, and he turned his face away in shame and discomfort. The deep, purple bruise on his cheek was not able to be missed, and so her healer´s instinct immediately moved her hand to cup his cheek and push chakra through her skin.

However, her wrist was pushed away by his own hand.

"Stop it."

"What are you doing, Sasuke? I´m trying to heal you!"

He gritted his teeth, hair shielding his face.

"Why?", he whispered.

She blinked several times, taken aback by this irritating question.

"Because we are friends."

 _Friends._

 _Do not get close to the Hokage´s apprentice or you´re going to regret it, weakling._

It was all clear to him now, clearer than it ever would be.

"Friends _don´t_ do that, Sakura."

She blinked again, thoroughly confused, and somehow _scared_.

" _What_?!"

He shook his head and passed by her, using her paralyzed condition to escape. She heard him and Naruto arguing, then hurried out to find out that he left the café already.

When she visited the café later again, she was told that Sasuke had not come back that day.

* * *

 _Fin._

* * *

 _Beat´s Note: UPDATE. UUUUPDAAAATE. I KNOW. IT´S BEEN SO LONG BUT IT´S FINALLY HERE. I´m so sorry that it took me so long! I need to get into the flow of writing, and it just didn´t happen with this story until yesterday._

 _Anyways, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, even though it was heart-breaking in the end *cries*._

 _My replies to_ _ **reviews**_ _: (I pick certain parts of reviews to reply to, but I appreciate ALL OF THEM)_

 _ **My clone congratulating me:**_ _MY CLOOONE I LUV YOU THANK CHUUUU_

 _ **Feeling bad for Sasuke and Sakura being dense**_ _: I love to mess with Sasuke, I´m so sorry about that! XD Don´t worry, even if it looks bad for him, he will get what he deserves by the end of this story. And, well, about Sakura…she still has to learn some things, right? She will understand it one day, I promise._

 _ **Getting addicted:**_ _YES. TAKE ALL OF IT AND NEVER LET GO._

 _ **Loving how I portray the characters:**_ _Aww thank you! I try my best, and I know it seems OOC sometimes, but it´s an AU so I have no regrets. Glad that people like you appreciate it, though!_

 _ **Waiting for NaruHina:**_ _It´s gonna be awesome and emotional, I promise. I have some nice things planned for them, including a red scarf *cough, cough*_

 _ **Cute SasuSaku:**_ _OF COURSE. All the cute I can give you!_

 _ **Author-sama:**_ _I won´t lie, I felt so smug because of this that I immediately showed a screenshot to my friends. I love you. Thank you._

 _ **Updating more PERFECT chapters:**_ _God, I died! Look how you guys use my story to make inside jokes! Love you!_

 _ **The civilian Sasuke and kunoichi Sakura-fresh air:**_ _Ayy thanks! I tried to do something new, and I thought the idea was cute. ^^_

 _ **Melting hearts with fluffy SS:**_ _I can´t wait for them to date for real already Xd There will be so many cute things *cries*_

 _ **Sasuke struggling with feelings but still being honest to Sakura:**_ _What lies behind that is that I think of Sasuke as a person who – as much as he isn´t sure of things – he can´t but be honest to people. It´s the way I picture of him in canon, and also in a world where he grows up as a civilian._

 _ **Sakura being innocent regarding relationships:**_ _Poor girl has no idea about this stuff lol. The only thing she focused on was to become stronger to become Hokage, like Sasuke did in canon to take revenge._

 _ **My improving writing style:**_ _Awww thank you! It´s been a year since this fic was published, and I am happy to see that my writing has improved since then ^^_

 _ **Loving the SNS, NH, Itasasu-moments:**_ _To show the relationships between the characters is one of my main goals. They´re really important for this fic, so I am happy to see that you guys like them!_

 _ **Things getting darker:**_ _Oh yes! OH YES. I will make up for it I swear!_

 _So. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 50 FAVS! THIS IS A MILESTONE FOR ME. OMG. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING!_

 _Whatever happens; I will continue this story, so don´t worry! This is my absolute baby, guys, seriously._

 _Please continue to support this, guys! ^^_

 _~ Beat ^^_


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